Big red sack of joy...

How divine are these sacks? Designed and made in Australia from New Zealand wool, they're created from leftovers from a knit factory in Melbourne. Santa will love that they aren't so huge that he/she will be struggling to fill one come christmas eve, yet big enough for a wee one to get lost in...
I love too that they aren't all overcome with that horrific christmas thing - you know, Santa's head/snowmen/christmas trees etc emblazoned across them - which also makes them reuseable! Perfect for an over night sleep over as you can pop your pillow in too! Rough cut handle slip easily over little ones shoulder so they can carry it themselves.  
Other ideas ~ use to wrap a gift, tie with ribbon and it is two gifts in one OR keep it in the car as storage for the family picnic blanket/eco shopping bags... oh so many uses!
Find them here at Paper Scissors Rock Stationery.

So cheap it might as well be free.... Funday Sunday

I don't know about you, but our belts are so tight lately that we can barely breathe! What I mean to say is that a dollar has a very different value lately to what it did five years ago.  A lot of it can be attributed to the world economic situation, and for me, some to the fact that I was single and childless then. But one thing is for sure, my disposable income aint what she used to be.... So, I'm always on the lookout for cheap ways to entertain the boys (Papa Noosh included). And this one is awesome!

The Family Funday Sunday ticket has to be the best idea the NSW government has ever had! For only $2.50 per person (kids under 4 travel free) you can ride all the ferries, busses and trains you can handle, all day sunday, every sunday. Pretty fabulous huh? Well, it gets even better because the program reaches beyond the Sydney metro area - it'll even take you to Newcastle and Woollongong!

You can buy your ticket from bus drivers, CityRail stations, ferry ticket offices and authorised newsagents and convenience stores. Tourism NSW are involved as well - they have their own Family Funday page here, with great ideas for places to go and things to see and do in and around Sydney. 

Queens Wharf

I've already scheduled a trip to Newcastle for us to celebrate the first weekend of summer. We're going to check out Merewether Beach, the Bar Beach Rockpools (which I think the boys will LOVE), and of course Queens Wharf with it's waterfront restaurants, and a boutique brewery (which I think Papa Noosh and I will LOVE).... A much more appealing plan than spending the first glorious weekend of summer on Sydney's overcrowded beaches wrestling the beach tent!

Little person's library DIY project

Check out this Little persons library DIY project. Found it on one of my favourite blogs, Table Tonic, written by my gorgeous and oh-so-stylish pal, Louise.

I so often find books are overlooked at storytime because they're simply "unfound". This is such a simple and great way to keep kids interested in reading their books and it's a cheap decor option as well because their book collections usually have such gorgeous illustrated covers...

Super-easy to do yourself using IKEA's Ribba Picture Ledge $14.99 and dowel which you can get at any hardware or good craft store. Enter handy husband type to rig up a post system, a can of paint and you're on your way!

If I had a grand, sprawling home on acreage perhaps? But alas, my modest home won't allow for such indulgences at present... Fab idea though. Maybe a scaled down version in the playroom?

I wish I was small...

Oh. My. Giddy. Aunt. Witchery have brought out the cutest kids range ever. I love all of it! Sadly though, shopping for boys is not nearly as satisfying as I can only imagine shopping for girls would be... Even I'd wear this stuff if it came in a bigger size!

Though their boys range isn't bad either...

I mean, this one would suit Hugh to a "T" - pardon the pun...

And I'm sure this one would suit me.... Do you think an adult can squeeze into children's size jewellery? Because this one is way too perfect to adorn the wrist of an unappreciative child. Surely...

Magnolia (be there or be...) square

Roll out the fun I say! This weekend is the Sydney leg of the famously divine, Magnolia Square market! If you've never been you need to go. If you have - you know what I'm talking about.

A feast of handmade and original delights, everything from food to footwear, and all decidedly delicious. There are a huge number of new exhibitors/stall holders this year and you might sense I'm a little bit excited. I love to be organised and this is a prime opportunity to knock over some of that christmas shopping - in a lovely way to boot. And all my gifts will be divinely unique! Ooooh! I just love it!

Have look at the website for dates in Sydney, Adelaide and Melbourne. Maybe I'll see you there!?

I heart Bianca Hall

That's me. Lucky. Why? Because three days of each week I get to go along to "work" and spend my time looking at the most amazing homes, hunting down talented designers and finding the loveliest of pictures of it all. Each day I witness a parade of gorgeousness twirling and dancing it's way into my inbox, across my screen, and onto my desk. Yesterday I fell in love. Have a look at these..

"life would be rubbish without you"

"silence is golden"

As if the typography alone isn't gorgeous enough, this one is encrusted with diamond dust. Sadly, not the dust of actual diamonds, but of fine sheet glass that's been shattered into tiny glitter-like shards.  It's been used in the past by Andy Warhol and recently by Damien Hirst and Peter Blake. 

two of my favourite Andy Warhols

I WANT this Damien Hirst

...and a (Sir) Peter Blake I "love"

But back to my new love, her name is Bianca Hall. Elegant, contemporary - yet feminine and kitsch all at the same time. And clearly keeping good company with her choice of medium. While I think most of us are over the "words-on-the-wall" thing, I really like the way she uses colour in the lucky print - it reminds me of a certain new kids modular sofa store I heard about.... and a rainbow party I went to...
See more Peter Blake work here. And more Damien Hirst here.
And if you fancy purchasing or just perusing more Bianca Hall work have a look here.

Make it: A wreath made of Buttons!

Over time you'll come to see that I love a craft project almost as much as I love christmas. Put the two together - hello! Cloud 9 anyone? So what could be more lovely than another cheap, kid-friendly and super-easy project to christmas up your home? Belinda, over at The Happy Home blog has come up with a bevvy of gorgeous craft ideas for Kidspot and this one is just too cute not to share.. It's a Button Wreath that's virtually mess-free!!! Follow Belinda's simple instructions and voila! I think it's as cute as a...

Win a NOOSH kids modular sofa with Kidspot!

I'm sure by now you've used my handy "what's in store" panel left of here to have a look around the NOOSH online store. If not, off you go! If you have, you'll already know what we're all about here at NooshKids. You'll also know how fantastic and super gorgeous our Frankie sofas are!
Well! Now you can win your very own 3 piece set! Yep! It's true. Free to a good home. All you have to do is go to Kidspot, and talk about your child's style - too easy!
The set is worth $677 and you get to choose your own fabrics from the Noosh range of Amy Butler patterns (there's 8 to choose from).
Better jump onto Noosh right now and choose some fabrics then hadn't you?

Make it: Have yourself a crafty little christmas....

I always usually find that a morning of a pre-prepared craft activity with my boys primes them for a good day. By good I mean: a day of minimal emotional outbursts (on both our parts) and general good behaviour. Let me stress though that it only really works if the craft activity is well prepared. I often find myself bringing out the paint box as a final act of desperation on a bad day to ill-effect. Today was one of the well-prepared ones, and we made Christmas decorations. Now this was possibly the easiest thing we've ever made. Hugh is only 4 and he managed it no sweat, and Noah (at 20 months) even had a go. It costs next to nothing, uses things you already have in your kitchen and keeps kids entertained for at least half an hour...

All you need is: 

- a pack of air-dry clay

- ribbon

- cookie cutters
- rolling pin

The clay was about $8 for  pack. We only used half a pack and made about 20 of these little gems. The ribbon came from Tres Divin and the rest we had. I used my meat mallet, a skewer and pastry wheel to decorate them and they were dry after about 4 hours. Just make sure you remember to punch a hole through with the skewer before they dry to thread the ribbon through.
I'm thinking these might even be nice to use as gift tags on our christmas presents. Maybe I'll make some more with peoples names on them...
If you do give them a go, let me know how it went! Send me a pic! I'd love to see them!

Crafty plans

Tomorrow I have a day to myself. Well, when I say "myself", I actually mean "myself + 2 small boys". What to do? Craft! It makes them happy and keeps me sane. (As long as I don't look too closely at the aftermath left behind in my kitchen....)
So, tomorrow's plans are: Christmas decorations! There doesn't seem to be enough Christmas buzz about yet. A few small decorations in Westfield's but that's about it. I haven't heard one bell or carol. And being a massive christmas fan - that's just not acceptable.
Hopefully they'll be lovely, you'll want to make them too, and I won't be embarrassed to put them up on here for you tomorrow when they're finished...