Friday, July 29, 2011

Inspiring blogging here I come….

Romantic Flair Original

Nuffnang Blogopolis Conference 2011
What a weekend I have up my sleeve this weekend.
First the Bloggers Brunch on Friday, and then the Nuffnang blogopolis on Saturday. 
No wonder I am so excited that I cannot concentrate on anything else.
I am so looking forward to extending my knowledge of Blogging and learning the tools of the trade. Blogging has become part of my life. I like to write, and I find expressing myself through blogging has become very important part of my life and my business.


We shall be covering subjects like :
Blog Branding/Marketing
Blog Photography
Improving Blog Content
Working With Brands
Tools of the Trade
Editorial vs. Advertorial
The Australian Blogosphere


What a programme….I know by the end of the day I am going to be blown away.
I am also terribly excited as I am going to meet some lovely other bloggers that I have been talking on line for the past year or so. I think it will be impossible to meet or greet everyone as there is going to be 140 attendees….the future Australian Bloggers.
I am having lunch with the wonderful Brenda from Mummytime and also  the wonderful lady behind Digital Parents, who organized through the forum for some of the members who are attending the conference as well to get together for lunch.
Then at night we have Nuffnang Post-Blogopolis Drinks…..Phew…I think it is is going to be a  day to remember and full of excitement….


See some of you there!


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Thursday, July 28, 2011

Bloggers Brunch tomorrow……I am so looking forward to it!


Romantic Flair OriginalI am so honoured to again be invited to attend the 2nd Bloggers Brunch organized by by Christie Nicholas, from Kids Business Marketing and PR

Below is a shot of the lovely group of bloggers that were invited.


bloggers brunch

I immensely enjoyed the other one and you may ask why?


Most important thing for me, is that my circle of networking is growing, and along the way I meeting some awesome people, which some since then I have started  working with in different projects. I also feel that my expertise in running my own Buisness and my expierience working with kids is helping others in some way or another.


So tomorrow Bloggers Brunch No2 here I come…….another surprise unfolding!


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I will share with you my experience in the near future.

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Free shipping day for this week is Friday and Lucky State for this week goes to…

Romantic Flair Original

free shipping



Normally Randomly drawn every Wednesday night and shouted on Face Book Page, followed by a blog post Thursday morning…..but unfortunately this week, I completely forgot, so this week we are going to have it on Friday instead of Thursday. Okay for tomorrow Friday 28th July 2011..  Drum Roll


  1. VIC
  2. NSW
  3. ACT
  4. WA
  5. TAS
  6. NT
  7. QLD
  8. SA
Spend $90.00 and over on FRIDAY on My On Line Gift Shop and shipping is free (regular mail ~~ extra to register or for express post)! This is for Friday July 28th 2011 only. Simply enter"FABKJULY28" in comment box on checkout and Invoice will be amended. P.S. this does not apply to items already on Special or with any other offers or vouchers! Check out our specials offers on Facebook, Wednesday night, followed by blog post every Thursday morning.

Romantic Flair Original




And the lucky number drawn by random org. is No.1 which is Victoria….






 Victoria..…..,this is great opportunity for you to save on shipping costs.


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Wednesday, July 27, 2011

How do you like this one to spoil a grandmother for her birthday?



Christmas by Romantic Flair Original

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Happy Birthday Grandma
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Love Mason………
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I love it……!

I decided to join in  Wordless Wednesday with My Little Drummer Boys 

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Tuesday, July 26, 2011

Cute gorgeous Mice by Barefoot…………..created by Barbara Sansoni


Mice



As a child…you would have mentioned the word  Mouse and I would have run miles……..When I had my kids , I remember the lovely books with beautiful illustrations of country mice. I started to change my way of thinking.  So much so that I started painting mice figurines for the “Country collection

Then I stumbled along the barefoot range…and it was instant love at first sight with this range. I have a soft spot for Barefoot Products.


They come in bright beautiful colours, the dyes that they use are not toxic and all materials are colour fast. There is  a wide range of lovable toys available …you can see all the selection that I stock over here

I have to say the Mice Collection is one of my favourites!!
Once you see them for yourself…you know what I am talking about. Every time I display them at an event, all the lovely ladies, have to stop and have a feel of them. They are so adorable.

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They come in an Extra large size  down to the little one sitting down.  All barefoot toys are unique and handmade. Not one is the same as the other, they are all dressed up different in gorgeous bright colours,, the girls have underpants and their dresses are finished of with embroidery. They are so loveable. When a child holds one of the mice, they become their instant friend! Their shoes are finished off in detail with shoe laces and all.

Wait this is not all…if you want to go further, a Mouse House is available. It comes with a family of 6 mice, with furnishings, such as cushions, bed, wall hangings and wall mirror. Again, none of the Mouse Houses are the same colour.  They were designed to collapse so you can take them on holidays with you, or to someone’s else’s house when visiting. They can be hang on your wardrobe doors, or organize a hook with a chain coming down from the ceiling and hang it on it. They are the most adorable thing you ever see. The top storey is an attic , the buttons can be undone and one can play with the mice on that level as well. This is what I  call an heirloom, it is a gift that a grandmother, should give to her grandchild, boy or girl, and passed on to generations to come.


mice family

I just love them…..I am sure you can tell by now. I do not have any gran kids yet…but I have one in my family room hanging in the corner.

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So if your after a friend for life….you cannot go past these friendly mice.

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They are looking for a loving home Smile

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Monday, July 25, 2011

Pretend play and Kids


What is pretend play? Kids pretend play all the time. This is a learning experience, that each and everyone of us has gone through as a child. We role play what we see.


It always amazed me as a mother or when I used to work with per-schoolers, I used to stay back and listen to the conversation taking place when kids are playing. Have you ever done this?


Imagine you have set up a home corner..
  • maybe there is a doll house, or a play center…
  • some furniture
  • some little dolls
Who do you think the child would be role modeling in this instance?


Imagine if let say you are a family of four, mum dad, the child and a brother, you have a house with 2 bedrooms, a lounge and a bathroom, etc…may be you have a slide in the backyard…..Okay, now pretend you are the child. You will pick 4 dolls, one is going to be mum, another one dad and then one doll will be you and another your brother…you will also try and  choose some furniture, that reminds of what you have in your house, and then Pretend Play starts…..sometimes even if the child is by himself you hear them creating a conversation, one minute he is mum, then his dad etc. etc.


I find this amazing. This shows how much influence we have on our kids. Parents and carers are very important part in a child’s life. They will role play or pretend play, what they experience in their everyday life.


They will in a way give you an insight of what they are thinking, feeling  and experiencing. If a parent is wise enough, they should take this seriously, as they can get to know their children better.


You can extend this role play, with the selection of toys that you offer them. Change their home corner, every so often with different toys, and challenge them.


For example if you are going Camping..


camping set 350


…this little set is great to prepare them for this experience, you can talk about what they will expect, what you will be doing etc.

If you have a pet  at home this might create more pretend play


pet set 350


If you as a family spend a lot of time in the garden…these play sets…will be great!


outdoor setting350swing set

lgardening set

Two other exciting role play sets are these 2 gorgeous busy boxes…
  • Doctor/hospital Set
My hospital busybox350
  • Coffee Shop
My coffee shop busybox350

And the list goes on…you will find a variety of furniture sets, doll sets, doll houses and play centers  in store!

Do you encourage pretend play?




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Sunday, July 24, 2011

How many times have we heard this….? "Everything comes in time to those who can wait." by Francois Rabelais


23121 willowclock400 lace border"Everything comes in time to those who can wait." by Francois Rabelais


Yes patience is a virtue…..! If you are like me, I get very impatient at times when I get excited about something.


As I grew older and wiser, I learnt along the way, that things happen to fall in place on their own. We might question along the way, why this has happened or why is this happening…we might not know the answer at the time ..but time will tell, and when the time comes, you say to yourself….."hmmm so this is why”!


It is useless trying to rush in to something. Step back when you come into this situation, and say to yourself, “okay, I need to have time to think about this”, “or why is this happening”?
  • perhaps you might need to ask advice or guidance in a project that you intend to take on
  • maybe an important decision in our life, and you cannot make a decision?
  • debating if you should be buying a property or renting, or perhaps you fell in love with a property, and someone bet you to it..why?
  • perhaps you are trying so hard to fall pregnant and it is not happening, why you may ask at the time?
  • perhaps you have a property on the market, and nothing is happening, why?
  • why why why…yes I am sure there is a lot of why’s out there….
At the time, you probably cannot see a solution to a problem, or you cannot decide which way to go, a lot of if’s and buts…
I suppose there is different ways of dealing with this, you might be inpatient and take a decision, which most of the time, if one is not sure, it is usually the wrong decision and will suffer the consequences, or else, you might step back ad evaluate your situation…


Which way do you go? Do you agree with this statement that "Everything comes in time to those who can wait." ?
Love to hear your thoughts…..


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Thursday, July 21, 2011

Tasmania lucky draw again… it is your turn this week….keep on reading……I think this has become a habit?


free shipping
Randomly drawn every Wednesday night and shouted on Face Book Page, followed by a blog post Thursday morning…..

  1. VIC
  2. NSW
  3. ACT
  4. WA
  5. TAS
  6. NT
  7. QLD
  8. SA
Romantic Flair Original  SpecialsSpend $90.00 and over TODAY on My On Line Gift Shop and shipping is free (regular mail ~~ extra to register or for express post)! This is for Thursday July 21st only. Simply enter"FABKJULY21" in comment box on checkout and Invoice will be amended. P.S. this does not apply to items already on Special or with any other offers or vouchers! Check out our specials offers on Facebook, Wednesday night, followed by blog post every Thursday morning.


And the lucky number drawn by random org. is No.5 which is Tasmania….


Tasmania..…..,this is great opportunity…you will save heaps on shipping…..you never know if your turn will come up any time sooner…..having said that Tasmania has come up in the draw quite a few times???? Smile




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Wednesday, July 20, 2011

Ramblings through the streets of the silent city ~~ Mdina ~~ Malta


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Love roaming through these streets when I visit back home…it is called the silent city as no cars are allowed accept for people who reside there who are very few…….


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A quote "Silent gratitude isn't very much to anyone." by Gertrude Stein which made me think……


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A quote "Silent gratitude isn't very much to anyone." by Gertrude Stein which made me think and write this post.




We seem to take so many things for granted these days, do you? I know I do sometimes. Life is a cat race, and many times we are caught in it.
  • we expect everyone to be nice to us
  • we take it for granted that our parents or friends are always there for us
  • some children expect that they can get whatever they wish, and some parents are made feeling that they are a failure and they cannot grant their wishes
  • patients or sick people, some do not even realize how much the carers are doing for them
  • as we grow older we get grumpier, and I think older people have a certain expectation to be treated special
  • mums who work from home, seem to be less appreciated than the ones who go out to work
  • teachers, carers who teach, look after, and trust with our most precious investments (kids), do not seem to be appreciated as much..
  • people we meet everyday, being behind the counter at a shopping centre, hairdresser, doctors etc.…do you stop to think they are offering you a great service or do you take it for granted that is what they are there for?
  • when you are walking in the street, do you pass by a person and not even acknowledging them…
  • your postman, courier guy, dentist, florist etc..etc.….do you appreciate the service that they are offering you?
What am I trying to highlight here….where is the word “Thank You”, or “you have done a great job
I am sure one would feel on top of the world, if someone acknowledged  his or her effort.
So how about when you see:
  • your kids teacher or carer next time…you simple say for example…”thank you for being such a special person in my kids life, we really appreciate what you do for them”
  • if your child or someone close to you is in hospital, and you are visiting…say to the nurse “thank you for being such a wonderful carer, you are doing a magnificent job”
  • when you happen to see your postman “ acknowledge the fact that he is offering a great service to you”
  • when you see or talk to your parents next….”thank you mum and dad for being who you are” 
  • and I can keep going here….
Don’t you think this would make a better world? Of course it would. Imagine someone acknowledges what you have done for them…don’t you feel so special, so happy ……


I would like to thank you all of you who are following my blog, you make me feel so special. I also like to thank all those bloggers that I follow, who are a continuous inspiration.


Joining this week in this lovely link up......organized by Glowless


FYBF




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Tuesday, July 19, 2011

Words of wisdom, for you to ponder ~~ Very Useful to all of us..... Beautiful letter written by a father to his son


I came along this and I  thought I share it with you…


Wise Father's, Letter to His Son
words of wisdom


Following is a letter to his son from a renowned Hong Kong TV broadcaster/Child Psychologist. The words are actually applicable to all of us, young or old, children or parents.! This applies to daughters too. All parents can use this in their teachings to their children.


Dear son ,

I am writing this to you because of 3 reasons:
1. Life, fortune and mishaps are unpredictable; nobody knows how long he lives. Some words are better said early.
2. I am your father, and if I don't tell you these, no one else will.
3. What is written is my own personal bitter experiences that perhaps could save you a lot of unnecessary heartaches.



Remember the following as you go through life

1. Do not bear grudge towards those who are not good to you. No one has the responsibility of treating you well, except your mother and I. To those who are good to you, you have to treasure it and be thankful, and also you have to be cautious, because, everyone has a motive for every move. When a person
is good to you, it does not mean he really likes you. You have to be careful, don't hastily regard him as a real friend.
2. No one is indispensable, nothing in the world that you must possess. Once you understand this idea, it would be easier for you to go through life when people around you don't want you anymore, or when you lose what/who you love most.
3.Life is short. When you waste your life today, tomorrow you would find that life is leaving you. The earlier you treasure your life, the better you enjoy life.
4.Love is but a transient feeling, and this feeling would fade with time and with one's mood. If your so called loved one leaves you, be patient, time will wash away your aches and sadness. Don't over exaggerate the beauty and sweetness of love, and don't over exaggerate the sadness of falling out of love.
5.A lot of successful people did not receive a good education, that does not mean that you can be successful by not studying hard! Whatever knowledge you gain is your weapon in life. One can go from rags to riches, but one has to start from some rags!
6.I do not expect you to financially support me when I am old, neither would I financially support your whole life. My responsibility as a supporter ends when you are grown up. After that, you decide whether you want to travel in a public transport or in your limousine, whether rich or poor.
7.You honour your words, but don't expect others to be so. You can be good to people, but don't expect people to be good to you. If you don't understand this, you would end up with unnecessary troubles.
8. I have bought lotteries for many years, but I never strike any prize. That shows if you want to be rich, you have to work hard! There is no free lunch!
9. No matter how much time I have with you, let's treasure the time we have together. We do not know if we would meet again in our next life.

Regards,
Your Dad


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Monday, July 18, 2011

Bloggers Brunch ~~ reviewing ~~ The Container 2 Go




Part 8 ~~ a continuation of my experience that I had at the awesome ~~Bloggers Brunch organized by Parenting Group TV Show, “Room to Grow”…..& Sponsors….

Green OnTray Container

What do you think of this?


I think it is a fabulous idea. Laura who is an American lady behind this invention, came up with this idea, after taking her kids to the shops. You know, how us mums do a million things at once, so she had the kids with her, doing her shopping at the same time and also carrying a container in her hands, and handing out snacks out of this container to keep her kids pacified while shopping…..and you guessed it …The Container 2 Go came along…….!


You can have a look over here and see the multiple uses that you can use this container for.  I am sure that each and everyone of you can come up with other great ideas to use this container.


It comes in a range of colours, and is also available in Australia

It is amazing what one can come up with out of necessity!


Thank you Laura  for giving me the opportunity to review your invention. I am sure to be telling lots of people about it.


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Sunday, July 17, 2011

Bloggers Brunch ~~ reviewing Bebe by minihaha


Part 7 ~~ a continuation of my experience that I had at the awesome ~~Bloggers Brunch organized by Parenting Group TV Show, “Room to Grow”…..& Sponsors…. 

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I was very impressed with this gorgeous loveable Floppy (Bunny)Baby Rattle from one of the Bebe range by minihaha that I was given to review .


It  comes in a nice and soft material to compliment your baby skin.


Minihaha  & Hiawatha have been established since 1994, and they offer 5 exclusive labels, including Bebe by Minihaha, Fox & Finch, Minihaha  WOOF, and Tahlia. They offer the most gorgeous range in kids fashion, from babies & toddlers right through the tween fashionistas.


Believe it or not, they offer the most gorgeous range for boys as well…..


Their range is superb, from pretty & whimsical to casual & quirky. So if you are a fashionista mum you cannot go past this one……..just follow me here and see for yourself.


Thank you minihaha  for giving me the opportunity to review your product...I will certainly recommend it to some of my colleagues.


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Saturday, July 16, 2011

Off to Lardner Park this Sunday ~~ Craft Market Australia


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As much I do not like the cold in the winter markets, but there is something about them, that reminds me of The Christmas Season that I was used to as a child…..
I know some of my customers that have a European or American Background would feel the same…..
As much as I love Australia, I still cannot get used to having Christmas in the hot weather…!
Anyway….we are at the moment almost heading to Christmas in July 25th….so just a friendly reminder the Christmas in July special is still on..will finish on the 25th July…so browse all the designs I have in offer for you and start thinking of placing your orders for this Christmas as you will save and you will avoid the rush that builds up for Christmas.

CAPRI DINNER SET X 3 PLATES FUNKY DESIGNSYou will also see my extensive display of my Christmas Tableware..which you can purchase or place your layby for Christmas.












My personalized selection will be on display as well…..


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So where will you find me this weekend..yes that’s right Lardner Park
Lardner Park
Burnt-Store Road, Drouin (Melway Map: X912 U8)  

Sunday 9am to 2pm

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