Freebie | January photography checklist

Tomorrow not only sees the beginning of 2012, but a fresh, new photo album for those partaking in Project Life! I attempted Project Life a couple of years ago, and the most challenging thing I found, was figuring out what photos to take...there are only so many times you can photograph what you had for lunch. lol.  I thought that a photography checklist might help, but found that most were tailored for those living in the northern hemisphere. The solution...create a checklist for us Aussie gals!

Creating a 365 album (well, 366 in 2012, given that it's a leap year) doesn't mean you need to be doing something special every day. The more mundane routine moments of your lives are worth documenting as well. Each month, I will share the next month's checklist with you...no point getting overwhelmed with the whole year in one hit! The checklists are suggestions for photos to take, not a monthly challenge for you to follow each day. There's also room for you to prepare for your own special events throughout the month, such as birthdays, parties, weddings, and more.

January is full of photographic opportunities...the children are on school holidays, the summer weather is just beautiful, and there's more time in the day. Enjoy capturing those moments!

To download the pdf file for yourself, click on the image above. Feel free to share the checklists, and add it to Pinterest.

Enjoy capturing the new year!

Merry Christmas from Life as we know it...

For the first time ever, we have sent personalised Christmas cards to family and friends. It's so rare that all of us are dressed to the nines...it was definitely the highlight of the year, and worth sharing. I love that it captures Seth and Eme's personalities perfectly too.  Christmas for the Warrens just got a little bit more schmancy...

Included in our card, was this sweet poem. Enjoy...

Year-round Joy

by Joanna Fuchs

Christmas is full of shiny things

That sparkle, gleam and glow;

These holiday pleasures dazzle us,

And yet, deep down, we know...

That Christmas has its special gifts,

But our year-round joy depends

On the cherished people in our lives,

Our family and our friends.

To all of my blog readers,

Sending all my love and best wishes to you and your family

for the holiday season and the forthcoming year.

Thank you so much for your kind messages throughout the year

and for your continued support. You make a girl feel very blessed.

Photograph by Beth Tahiri Photography

Editing and general tszujing by me :-)

Wordless Wednesday | Elf on the Shelf antics...

Muggins the Elf joined our family at the beginning of December, and has since then been getting up to ALL kinds of mischief...here's a few of his adventures...

playing hide and seek...not quite as successful as "Where's Wally?"

riding a t-rex and encouraging it to eat my decorations!!

messing with the wrong toys and ending up in strife...

he obviously didn't learn his lesson, and the monkey has taken revenge!

trying to punish the kids for being naughty by attempting to take Santa's special key and leave

giving them one more chance, Muggins decides to join us on a road trip to see if they can behave

sneaking into the fridge and eating all of the bunitsa, and drinking too much beer and Sprite

toilet papering my tree...using the good stuff...little ratbag!!

climbing inside my vase and getting tangled in the Christmas lights...

The many adventures of Muggins will be continuing right up until Christmas morning. I wonder what he'll do next?

Do you have an Elf on the Shelf? What predicaments has your elf gotten into?

Linking up with Trish for Wordless Wednesday

Are you my type? I know I'm your's...

I first began donating blood when I was 16...as a way to get out of doing school work! Yeah, it was good deed and all, but mostly to have time away from school. As a school group, we'd walk together to the local community centre, where the mobile blood bank was operating. The beds were set out in a big circle, and the nurses would tend to us, one by one. At the end of the donation, we were given a fruit juice, some biscuits, and after a short rest, sent back to school. Not too shabby.

After I left school and entered the workforce, my employer would arrange for the blood service courtesy bus to pick us up and take us to the donor centre every three months, and this continued for many years. Most recently, I have been ineligible to donate due to a raft of reasons...pregnancy, glandular fever, surgery, low iron levels, and a tattoo. Now that the appropriate time has elapsed, and I'm feeling healthy,  I'll be heading back to the blood bank this Christmas to make a much needed donation.

My experiences of donating blood have been positive ones. The nurses have always been considerate and caring, and the needle never hurts as much as you think it might. If you're worried about it, turn your head while they put it in...and think of the pain the person you are donating for, might be suffering.

Donating blood only takes around an hour of your time, which includes completing a questionnaire, making your donation, and having a snack and a rest afterwards.  The actual taking of the blood only takes about 10 minutes. Considering your donation could help save three lives; an hour of your time is nothing!

Most people are able to give blood if they:

• are fit, healthy and not suffering from a cold, flu or other illness at the time of donation or in the previous 7 days
• are aged between 16-70 years (in QLD and WA 16-17 year olds require parental consent)
• weigh more than 45kg (16-17 year olds need to weigh more than 50kg)
• are prepared by having plenty of liquid the day before donation, especially in warm weather. In addition, in the 3 hours before donating, please drink at least 3 good-sized glasses of water/juice.
• eat something in the 3 hours before donating
• bring ID. Please bring at least one form of photo identification.

If you're not sure if you qualify...please read these faq's.

The Australian Red Cross needs your help over the Christmas period and beyond. If you are healthy and able; become part of the 1 in 30 Australians that donate blood regularly. You never know when you might need a blood transfusion yourself, and remember...every drop counts!

Cute little girl hairstyles!

I don't profess to know a lot about hair and beauty stuff. I pretty much had the same hair style for 15 years, only just growing out my fringe a couple of years ago (much to the delight of many friends, who have since confessed to me that they hated it! Thanks.). Now, I stick to the same ponytail look...every.single.day. It gets pretty boring looking in my bathroom mirror in the mornings. One of my mini goals for 2011, was to teach myself to braid my own hair. That hasn't happened as yet...maybe when I'm on holidays.

Emeline has gladly volunteered to be my "hair do" guinea pig in the meantime. Thanks to Pinterest, there's more than two ways I can now style her locks.  This fun little hair style was so super easy; the most difficult part was finding six coordinating hair bands. I gave up buying colourful ones a while ago, because I think Eme must throw them into a blackhole at the end of the day...never to be seen again. These blonde ones come in a big pack, and I'm not too fussed if they disappear. She sat so patiently while I tied up her hair...and was so excited once I showed her the finished product. It was a big hit at the Christmas party, that's for sure!

The next day, we had another Christmas party to go to, so I thought I'd step it up a bit! Its the same hairstyle as above, but with the hair plaited in between. It amazes me how long her hair looks this way.  She went swimming at the party, and her hair do held, which was great...no more crazy, knotty hair afterwards!

The original inspiration came from She Does Hair. I'm loving this hair blog, and I'll be taking more inspiration from there in the future! Her daughters must be incredibly patient. The more I look at these images, the more I want to add pretty bows to everything!

I've been pinning loads of ideas for grown up hairstyles, but I'm not getting much time to experiment at the moment. One of the things I'm hoping to do in the new year, is to simplify a bit and have some fun...and they say a change of hairstyle is as good as a holiday! I might even dye it for the first time (don't hold me to that!).

What's your favourite hairstyle for little girls?

Linking up with Alyce for

Winners | realestateVIEW app

Thank you to everyone who entered the realestateVIEW.com.au giveaway! It's time to announce the winners of the iTunes cards as promised in this post.

Entrants were asked to describe the strangest things they've seen when inspecting a house. Having inspected quite a number of houses recently, it never ceases to amaze me, the state people leave their houses in for public viewing...and the odd, and horrifying things they leave on display!  Here's the winning entries...





Leila, who wrote..

"I once went on an inspection to find someone else moving in to their new home after just having purchased it from the previous owner!"

What! Seriously, what agent doesn't know that a property has already been purchased?

Trish, who wrote...

"FIL bought a farm,the people had won Lottery got up in morning and walked out left the breakfast , milk, plates everything on the table."

That sounds like something I would do! lol.

and...Narelle, who wrote...

"Dishes piled high in the sink, the person who lives there sitting on the lounge having a drink!"

I'm thinking that one was a rental...or the owner just couldn't give a stuff about selling.

Congratulations ladies! Your iTunes cards will be making their way to you through the post this week.



ps. If you're currently selling your home...let the above be a lesson to you. lol.

Meal plan Monday...

Today, I'm guesting over at The Organised Housewife! Head on over and see what the Warren family will be devouring this week...including the recipe for this simple and delicious salad.

Teacher's gift | Customised canvas tote

For months, I've been pinning teachers gift ideas to my "teachers stuff" Pinterest board, gathering inspiration for when the time came to make something for my children's teachers. I always like to give a handmade gift to their teacher...but narrowing it down was a difficult task! There's so many incredibly talented people, creating gorgeous pots, and crayon art, and much, much more.  I finally decided to customise some canvas totes like this (see left). The original inspiration came from this blog.

I love environmentally friendly bags, and this one is so much prettier than the standard green ones from the supermarket. To start, I purchased two canvas bags from Spotlight ($2 each), and some fabric remnants that coordinated with the apple green I wanted to use.

Here's how I created my version. First I dug through the fridge to find a good looking shaped apple. I cut the apple in half so that the stork was still on one side. I normally use disposable plastic plates when I'm painting, but for the life of me, I couldn't remember where they were...so I used the lid from a container instead (the base of which is currently MIA). I brushed some paint onto the apple, and did some test stamping on some paper towel, to figure out how much paint I actually needed.  Then I started stamping onto the bag, reapplying paint each time.

I continued stamping across the bag with the one colour, leaving space for the contrasting colour. You could use two stamps and alternate your colours, but my apple only had the stork on one side and I didn't want to waste another piece of fruit. Here's a tip...put some cardboard inside your bag so that you have a flat surface to work on, and it stops the painting seeping through to the other side.

Next up, I cleaned the green paint off the apple, then started brushing blue glimmermist onto the surface (I couldn't find my blue paint...of course!).  The glimmermist worked really well on the canvas.

Once the paint was dry, I cut remnants of fabric to fit the sides of the bag. As this was a shop bag, I had to cover up the logo somehow. I would recommend using a thicker fabric, or one with a dark base so that the logo doesn't show through. I turned the edges and pinned it to the bag, then gently worked my way around....only breaking one needle. Considering my machine is now 16 years old, and I've never changed the needle, it was probably due...oops. My method was very organic...no measuring...I just cut a rectangle and turned the edges. If you're more anal about it, you would measure, cut, iron etc. I just don't have time for that. lol.  Excuse the crappy photo...it was 11.30pm last night!

Here's the finished bag! I love how it turned out, and I'm so glad I purchased a bag with a flat base...not only will it hold more, but I was able to jazz it up with the pretty floral fabric on the side. I might have to make one for myself now!

My friend Keti very kindly agreed to pose for photo of the bag in action. You can see the straps fit really well over the shoulders, and it'll be able to hold heaps! Just perfect for a school teacher who needs to carry papers and reference materials to and from home.

I can't wait to wrap them up and deliver them to the school. I really appreciate everything my children's teachers have done for them this year, and I hope this little token of appreciation shows that.

Have you made something crafty for your child's teacher this year? Go on and share your links.

Linking up with Kirsty for...

Winners | Air Wick Aqua Mist

A big thank you to everyone who entered the Air Wick Aqua Mist giveaway! I wish I had more than three gift cards to give away, because  so much thought had gone into everyone's answers...however, there can be only three winners. Drum roll please....




Entrants were asked to answer the following question..."In 25 words or less, tell me what your favourite scent is at your home". Here's the winners and their answers...

The $200 Coles/Myer gift card goes to....
Michelle Higgs

"The one infused in my pillow. Smells like nice shampoo, sweet dreams and peace - I know as soon as I hit it, I'm happy!"

The $100 Coles/Myer gift card goes to...
Dorothy Krajewski 

"I love the smell of roses
I love bruised lavender, too.
Freshly baked bread and cookies,
Cut grass and clean kids, too...."

The $50 Coles/Myer gift card goes to...
Eleise Bott

"I love fresh fruity smells like when you bake fresh fruit muffins - so magnolia and cherry blossom would probably my favourite!"

Congratulations ladies!! As promised, a bottle of Air Wick Aqua Mist will also be sent with your gift card. You can expect your prizes in the mail before Christmas...so plenty of time to go shopping! Hooray!

Winners | Busby Pure Tissue Oil

Thank you to all of my readers for entering the Busby Pure Tissue Oil giveaway!! To enter, entrants had to answer this question...in 25 words or less, tell me how you'd like to improve the appearance of your skin. The three winners, and their answers are:

Anne Faughlin

"No denying it any longer - I am getting old. I would like my skin to look and feel a little fresher and not so tired"

Jodie Thompson

"I'd like to fix the flaky skin around my eyelids - it drives me bonkers and makes me feel old."

Rachael Griffin

"I would like to even out my skin tones, I have redness around my nose and cheeks and also have lots of laugh lines that need some attention."

Congratulations ladies! A bottle of Busby Pure Tissue Oil is on its way to you!

Christmas | Meeting Santa

Each year, I take the kids along to meet Santa and to have the obligatory photo taken. There's so many Santas around, its hard to decide which one to visit! Last year we went to Domayne (see below), and although it was really nice, Tina and Trish convinced me to see Santa at the QVB Sydney...ok, so maybe it was the prospect of seeing two very adorable fluffy white huskies!  We live a couple of hours away from Sydney, so we set off early...driving halfway, then jumping the train. The kids had a great time on the train...watching the scenery fly by, going over the water, and reading all the signs along the way. Once we reached Town Hall, we headed straight to the top floor of the QVB in search of Santa.

The QVB Christmas tree is quite possibly the most beautiful tree I have ever seen in real life! It has 144,000 lights and 60,000 Swarovski crystals and spans 3 floors! Absolutely stunning! My camera was ready to snap at every opportunity, and the kids were sick of smiling already...and they hadn't even seen Santa yet.

This photo was taken looking up to the tip of the Christmas tree in the dome of the QVB. It doesn't even begin to show you the height of this magnificent tree.

We rounded the tree and saw Santa sitting there in a crystal cave. By this time, the kids were super excited, so we lined up...only to be told there'd be a 40 minute wait. They handed me a buzzer and encouraged us to explore the QVB; they would buzz us when it was time. Brilliant! Nothing worse than bored children. We browsed the toy stores, found the bathrooms, watched the clock display, and then it was our turn.  The first person to greet us was a fairy. Eme was delighted! They compared sparkly ballet shoes...so cute.

Next, it was a toy soldier...who was mighty impressed with Seth's t-shirt. She agreed wholeheartedly...Santa does indeed rock!

Now for the fun bit...meeting Santa! His cave was spectacular, and what's more, you could take as many photos as you like...even while the professional photographer was doing their thing.

I wonder if they'd notice if one of those strands of crystals made their way to my house...hmmm....

The big man himself...with a real beard!! Santa was so happy and friendly. He loved Seth's t-shirt and to prove Santa rocks, he started singing "Jingle Bell Rock". lol. The kids climbed up...Eme cautiously sat on the side, and proceeded to tell Santa what they want for Christmas...Skylanders for Seth, and a fashion Barbie for Eme. I'm very impressed that they didn't rattle off the contents of the latest Toys R Us catalogue!

Santa was just lovely and his helpers didn't rush us off at all. Our photos were ready in a couple of minutes and we were on our way. We finished of the day by having a special lunch, and a bit of shopping at Myer...toys and Christmas ornaments. It was such a fabulous day, and the scrapbooker in me is incredibly happy I get to use my own photos, as well as the professional shot.

Just for comparison...this is last year's photo. The kids don't look nearly as baby faced any more, and Seth's t-shirt looks like it fits better this year. Mental note: buy a new t-shirt for next year's photo. lol.

Have you been to see Santa yet? How do your kids cope with seeing the big guy?