Little Friends Coat

I made another little Pea Coat for one of Camillas bestest friends after her Mama admired the first kelly green coat. 

Camilla helped me sew this one throughout a week of working around Katie's naps, we used the time to talk a lot about her friends, giving and making things. She really did learn so much in that time and learnt so many new words. It was a great time to spend together even though it frustrated the heck out of me having tiny fingers trying to get where they ought not be!

Details: Navy corduroy with a red strawberry and flower lining using the Big Little classic pea coat pattern (only 7 bucks!)

Cute brooch made using the lining for the front and corduroy for the backing and hand quilted with embroidery floss.

Made with Love metal tags sent from London by my big Sis! My first real opportunity to use them! (I wonder if the owner even realises its there??)

READ MORE:
The Big Little Blog
Millas green pea coat
More sewing on Sophie Slim
Linking in with Show n Tell

I've finally sent my ol' girl in for a machine service, I can't wait to get her back, hopefully running smoothly! Next on my to make list are some quilt style cushions for Millas bedroom - lovely fabric c/- Deb (a lady who really needs no more description than her first name)

If you have heard of Deb and want to donate to her new quilting machine you still can! A woman worthy of blessing.

Organising My Space - Laundry

Er. Hi. I can't believe I'm posting this, but you know, I'm always learning new things about myself. So here I am, showing you my dirty laundry in the hopes of winning some Tupperware from Simone at Great Fun 4 Kids.

She's hired a professional organiser recently and blogged about it, and well, I got the guilts.

We live in an apartment, and we've never really invested in storage solutions. We're still starting out, ya know. Also, storage seems like a weird thing to spend our limited money on.

But. It's been driving me insane recently. With all the stuff that toddlers and babies collect, i'm just about doing my head in. I kind of pride myself on limiting the clutter, its just the storing of stuff we do need that I'm not so good at.

So the day after reading Simone's post I found myself at the Warehouse, buying shelving units and draws for a bargain price. I can't believe it's taken this many years to get my cr*p off the floor.

Let me start by saying, even though we don't have a tub or a dryer, I consider myself very blessed to have this laundry. It's behind a door which is most uncommon for apartment living. Everyone else in our block has their washing machine in their bathroom. We are lucky to be able to hide away our piles of dirty clothes!

Most of the stuff in my laundry I don't actually use. It's just there. 

So out with the nappy bucket we don't need for a while (Millas in big girl knickers now!), it's been sanitised and is now in my office area. Out with the cleaning products I don't use and out with the woollens waiting to be handwashed. The buckets were removed, but have since come back to fit between the basket and shelves.

In comes a shelving unit for first aid and medicines (imported from the bathroom to make more space there)(below), a fabric draw to store the woollens for washing (yes mum, I'm getting to them!)(middle) and up top, laundry powder, vaccum bags and polishers (imported from the kitchen to make more space there).

Thanks so much Simone for that kick in the back side! Coming up later in the week, my bathroom! (no pressure to read these, seriously. Oh the shame!)

Showering with Babywise & A Giveaway!

Earthwise have a new product range out for Baby, its gentle, natural and lovely, and with my hair twirlin' ezcema gettin' toddler we were the perfect family to try these out!

knots knots, always knots!

So here's honestly what I thought (because I don't muck around with skin care for my sensitive daughter, and I'm sure you wont want to either)

My favourites:

Babywise Shampoo:
"Lather up and sculpt hair into silly shapes. Let your baby see the result in the mirror before rinsing well" says the back of the bottle.

We aren't shampoo users, I find its a bit difficult in the shower to do (and we only shower over here) and for a while Camilla's scalp was so dry so I steered clear.

This Babywise shampoo is super bubbly and when its on the hair, almost stiff-like. You can shape the hair in anyway you want which makes for a few giggles!

Camilla's hair has never been so squeaky clean! Bubbles got all over her face when I was washing it out (I obviously need a lot of practice) and aside from the water upsetting her, they didn't sting her eyes. Bonus.

Babywise Detangler:
"Take the ouchies out of combing baby's hair after washing. Yummy jungle fruit scent makes hugs even more delicious." it reads.

This is possibly my favourite of all the Babywise products! We need detangling help around here!! It smells fruity and Camilla can see little bubbles inside. She loves it so much more than her previous detangler.

I love sniffing her head after a good spray, sooo fruity!!! Camilla's hair is so fine so its important not to have any chemicals loading it up and weighing it down!

Earthwise Wipes:
I'm loving the wipes. They don't seem to be for actual deep cleaning, more like wiping and cleaning surfaces before or after you use them. I've kept ours next to the toilet to wipe out the potty when it's been used (and it has been lately, lots!!! Hoorah!)

I've also used them to wipe out the basin after I've cleaned Katies poo-ey singlet tops (since we don't have a laundry tub, I have to do it all in the bathroom sink). Then I know its nice and clean afterward for whatever else happens in the sink.

Packaging:
Babywise are marketed direct to the kiddos. My toddler LOVES the packaging and bottles and knew straight away they were for her. She cried and cried (below) when she found out she had to leave the bottles in the shower, she was heart broken. We called her new bottle friends "Gumbie" and promised we'll see Gumbie tomorrow.

Camilla just woke up from her nap while I was typing this and saw the bottles on the table. Camillas review of these products:
"Bubbles! Shower. Face. Bubbles. Bubbles. Spray. Milwa"

I did try the other products from the photo up top, but found the hair products to be our favourites. Although this range is for sensitive skin, Milla is just too touchy when it comes to products on her skin so some of the others didn't work out for us, even though we so hoped they would!

Thanks Babywise for the products! We're looking forward to buying more of your citrus wipes in our next supermarket shop!

(enter below!)

**16/10/13 Giveaway closed - congratulations Ange!**

GIVEAWAY:

If you would like to win a baby care pack and laundry powders just leave a comment letting me know some shampooing showering advice OR tell me something fun that you and your kiddos do in the bath / shower!

Extra entries if you follow Sophie Slim blog through a feed or email subscription, or are a facebook / twitter follower. Leave an extra entry for each along with your email address!

Open to NZ residents. Closes Wednesday 16th October 2013.

Meet The Sisterhood: Karen

The Sisterhood is made up of so many beautiful women, many of whom have been with us since the very beginning. I wanted to introduce them to you as they mostly stay under the radar and behind the scenes but they are so very important to me!

I've asked them all a few questions, and they replied! I hope you enjoy getting to know a few more Sisters! (I'll be posting these interviews each week. Make sure you leave a comment and some love for them!)

Introducing Karen!

Karen, you're strikingly beautiful!! What a lovely photo of you! Karen has been keeping The Sisterhood in soap supply since... ages ago. I can't remember a time when we didn't have Karen sending us her homemade soaps. They are deliciously smelly and she always sends a huge box full of them. EVERYONE GETS SOAPS!!! Thank you Karen for using what you have to bless others. It's so simple, and completely brilliant. You are the The Sisterhood. 

How did you first hear about The Sisterhood

It was via a Facebook page, I can't remember which one. I do remember thinking what a fantastic idea!

What initially made you get involved? How did you get involved?

I love making people feel happy and knowing someone cares can do that. So I donated some of my soap to The Sisterhood, to be given to people who maybe need to feel cared for.

How did that make you feel?

Great, knowing that maybe somewhere, I made someone briefly happy during hard times.

What is your favourite part of The Sisterhood?

Having been on the other side of The Sisterhood and being helped by some lovely local women when I really needed it, I love the friendship and sense of caring community that it promotes. 

What would you like to see us do in the future?

I'd like to see The Sisterhood grow and expand at a rate that can be managed without stress, so it can help people everywhere. So many need just that feeling of being cared about, and The Sisterhood gives that out in huge amounts.

If you want to make friends with Karen, you can find her here:

www.facebook.com/AstraStudioNZ

Want to meet more?
Angela's Interview
Hazel's Interview

Gina's Interview

Deb's Interview
Treena's Interview