Frocktober 2014 – Week 1

This year’s Frocktober theme is Every Frock Has a Story. I’ll be sharing the story behind each of my frocks in a weekly post. Here’s the first 5 days. You can sponsor me at my Frocktober page.

09-30

My last day in jeans for the next 31 days. God I hope it warms up!

10-01

Oct 1
Dress from Target, T-shirt – Hawthorn FC
Story: A total bargain from Target, found when looking for maternity wear. On special for $20 when it was near $80 at full price. Yeah there is a little bit of celebrating there too. Spent the day at the Hawthorn FC celebration of their AFL Grand Final win. 12 Premierships. Back to back premiers (2013-2014), 25 years from our last back to back (1988-1989)

10-02

Oct 2
Dress from Breastmates
Story: A gift from my Mum. One of a few breastfeeding friendly clothes from a great little online store (who I’ll be reviewing soon on my other blog – From the Wolf’s Den)

10-03

Oct 3
Dress from Breastmates
Story: Another breastfeeding friendly dress. Not quite warm enough to wear just the dress alone yet.

10-04

Oct 4
Dress from Rivers
Story: A pick up from a Rivers end of year sale a few years back. It’s a constant summer favourite.

10-05

Oct 5
Dress from Millers
Story: Another sale find. Still not warm enough for just dresses so long sleeve tops over dresses is the go.

My goal for 2014: $700
Total so far: $115.50
Donate here

Foodie post ahead

I’m often posting recipes here on the blog so have decided to create a list so you have an easy way to access them. So up there in the menu bar there is now a Recipes tab and you can pick what section you are interested in. Or you can just use the search feature 😉

I’m slowly adding to the list so not all the recipes will be there. Another thing I’m doing is re-writing the recipes to make them easier for you to print out.

The Frocktober challenge

So while everyone is challenging everyone to do the Ice Bucket Challenge (which I have been challenged to do) I’d like to put out another challenge. Donate to my Frocktober page and help raise funds for Ovarian Cancer Research. Oh yeah and then take a photo of you in a dress and share it.
So don those frocks, donate and share this link, I’ll be interested to see who is game to Frock up

I’ll be blogging my Frocking efforts here (along with my  frock stories), on Instagram & on my Facebook page.
Let me know if you’ll be frocking up in October so I can follow your journey in the dress 🙂

Lace it up

(So this is a little late but I’ve been away having a baby. You can read all about our newest little bundle over at From the Wolf’s Den)

Many years ago in my late teens, during what mum calls my troubled years, my period of being totally off the rails, i spent a short period of time without housing. Yes I could have gone home but I chose not to – you know, being a stubborn teenager and all that (plus a few other circumstances I put upon myself but that’s not what I want to talk about). It was early winter and totally not pleasant. Lucky for me & my then boyfriend, there was some great support from the local City Mission and through someone we met there managed to find housing. But this post is not about me. It’s about the approximate 47,000 young people who are homeless around Australia and what we can do to help them.

August 4-10 is National Homeless Week and as part of that Father Chris Riley and the Youth Off The Street programs are raising funds through the #LaceItUp campaign. By purchasing a pair of blue laces for $5 you can help Youth Off The Street continue to provide services to those in need in NSW. Then share your photos on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter with the hashtag #laceitup to spread the word.

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Some of the services provided by Youth Off The Street:

  • crisis accommodation
  • early intervention & outreach
  • drug & alcohol counselling & rehab
  • parenting programs
  • Food van

So let’s #LaceItUp and help support a great cause.

You can find out more or donate here or check out the #LaceItUp Facebook page

14 Days of Cooking with the Thermo #3

The new challenge for this fortnight is

MONDAY 14th JULY – SUNDAY 27th JULY

1. – Warming – healing – nurturing – easy meals for when we are sick or someone in the family is
2. – Cooking that you can do either with the kids – or for the kids whilst they are on school holidays

Pumpkin Soup Wagon Wheel Slice Celebration Cupcakes Banana Cake Cheese & Bacon Scrolls Beef & Bacon Pasta Bake Devilled Sausages

Monday 14/07 – Pumpkin Soup (converted from Mum’s recipe)
Tuesday 15/07 – ThermOMG Wagon Wheel Slice
Wednesday 16/07 – converted a cupcake recipe with Miss K (Celebration cupcakes)
Thursday 17/07 – Miss K & I converted our favourite banana cake recipe (Banana cake)
Friday 18/07 – Cheese & Bacon Scrolls (with a little added YIAH Pizza spice blend)
Saturday 19/07 – Beef & Bacon Pasta bake (not really healing but yummy on a cold winter night)
Sunday 20/7 – Devilled Sausages & potato bake (potato layered with diced bacon and EDC cheese sauce)

Jaffa Custard EDC Orange Juice Carrot Soup Jam Drops Spag Bol mince Sausage Rolls Cinnamon Scrolls

Monday 21/07 – Jaffa Custard
Tuesday 22/07 – EDC Orange Juice
Wednesday 23/07 – Carrot soup (converted from another of Mum’s recipes)
Thursday 24/07 – Jam drops
Friday 25/07 – Spag Bol using this Lasagne recipe (to put in the freezer – stocking up b4 bub arrives)
Saturday 26/07 – Sausage Rolls
Sunday 27/07 – Cinnamon Scrolls

Another 14 days of good cooking, food in the freezer and a few new to us recipes. Look forward to the next one.

#RPGaDAY in August

One of my past times is playing RPGs like Dungeons & Dragons and Conspiracy X. During August, one of my favourite RPG bloggers & RPG writers (he’s worked on Conspiracy X & the Doctor Who: An Adventure in Time & Space) Dave Chapman suggested on his blog about doing RPG a Day in August. Now if you’ve been following my blog & my Facebook, you’ll know we’re due to have our second child in August (not long to go now!) and might think I’m a bit mad wanting to take part BUT I’m not 😉 I’m handing the blog to hubby to answer the prompts (well, they’ll be scheduled posts but you get the idea.), namely cause he’s been role playing for longer than me. He remembers when D&D started and owns nearly all editions of D&D – we didn’t buy 4th Ed cause we think it’s rubbish, plus a whole HEAP of other games. We could have a room just for his RPG books 😉

Anywho, here’s the prompts that he’ll be answering for all your reading pleasure.

#RPGaDAY

I’ll be doing some updates over at From the Wolf’s Den when the birth of our little one is nearer and of course after he/she makes his/her grand appearance sometime around the 9th August.

Of blankets and being comfy {Review & Giveaway}

GIVEAWAY FINISHED

Disclaimer: I was given a Laila cushion and throw to review. All wording (unless noted) and opinions are my own.

Now that we’re into winter again it’s time to dig out the comfy, warm blankets. Things that make you feel good when you snuggle up in them on a cold winter’s evening, or day if you’re like me. What? I’m pregnant, don’t judge me :p If your snuggly blanket looks great even better and another upside is it makes you feel good too.

I was recently sent a gorgeous Laila throw and cushion by the lovely people at Angads.

MAR35T_2 mar35c_img_5624

Now I’ll be honest and I wasn’t really sure I liked them to start with. Red really isn’t a colour I’ve used in our house BUT after snuggling up under the throw in bed one day when I was feeling a tad rubbish I realise it goes with the colours in our bedroom really well. The 150cm square, 100% cotton quilted throw is really warm despite it’s light weight. The ruffle is really cute but not too girly (ie hubby won’t mind having it on the bed). The 45 cm square decorative cushion cover is also 100% Cotton.

After spending that day snuggled up under the throw I decided to check out the Angads website and make a bit of a wish list, as you do.

For the bedroom I’m quite partial to :

Geisha LushPlum embroidered Richard

L-R: Geisha, Lush Plum, Embroidered, Richard

For the Kids:

Laila Cot Tara Cot Twinkle Cot Snoopy Sean

L-R: Laila Cot set, Tara Cot set, Twinkle Cot set, Snoopy Sean

Happy Daisy Laila Princess Tara alex

L-R: Happy Daisy, Laila (what? I really like this one, so does Miss K), Princess Tara, Alex

Other bits and pieces I like:

LucyLow Feather Joker buddha_small_20cm

I love masks and the Lucy Low, Feather & the Joker are my favourites and I’m partial to the small Buddha.

PeacockJug&Bowl TopinoBirdLeafPlatter topinobirds NadiaTeaPot

There are soooooo many pretty things in the ceramics section and I really love the Peacock Jug & Bowl, Topino Bird Leaf Platter, actually most of the Topino Bird series and the Nadia Tea Pot

I’m not even going to go into the sleepwear section LOL. Do yourself a favour though and have a look!

To feed your love of gorgeous things I have a throw and cushion pack to giveaway to one lucky reader. If you’re not lucky enough to win though there is a sale on at the moment. For your chance to win, please enter via the Rafflecopter below.
PLEASE NOTE – ENTRY OPEN TO AUSTRALIAN RESIDENTS ONLY.

a Rafflecopter giveaway