Market Day - Saturday 9th May 2015

This Saturday will be our first Market Day!!!

(we’ll be opening every 2^nd Saturday of the month, visit the Orange Farmers Markets as well as us)

Please make sure if you are local or visiting Orange pop in between 9am and 1pm and have a look at the great range of handcrafted goodies we are stocking. We have so many local suppliers on board now and we have so many unique products that will make fabulous gifts (and don't forget Sunday is Mother's Day).

Our current suppliers are:

Mystique Scents & Creations

Lara J

The Sarbie Collection

Paddy Paws Orange

Stitched up with Buttons

Little Orange Soap Co.

Half Penny Designs

Whimsy Milieu

Greeting Grub Cards

Kylie S Designs

All the Small Things - Girls Hair Bows

Brie's Boo Teek

Nourish and Nurture

Coming soon are:

Lullaby Lane

Jammin Creations

Windera Designs

Pukeko Designs

Emay Images

Fox & Hedgehog

I call it paint_artworks by reynee

Pop over to our facebook page to find out more.

xx

Green and White

Thank you for your lovely comments on my new mixer yesterday.

I was very spoilt and I am very thankful. A few of you noticed that my mixer has a glass bowl. I believe you can upgrade to the Platinum Collection and it comes with the glass bowl. I asked for this one as I often forget to take the butter out of the fridge so it can soften and being lazy I can pop it into the glass bowl and straight into the microwave to soften rather than having to use another dish.  I know, I am very lazy.

Not only did I get very spoilt on Sunday with my lovely gifts but my wonderful husband and son hosted Mother's Day lunch for some of our family. It was really lovely to sit back and catch up with family while the boys cooked, served and cleaned up.

My contribution was the table setting and decor. Last week I mentioned that I had decided on a green, white, silver and a bit of black for my theme.

It turned out beautifully and the Chrysanthemums are still going strong and looking lovely except for where they got burnt by the candles :-( 

Definitely need to keep that in mind, don't have the candles too close to the flowers.

I experimented with my place cards/tags and used some leftover chalkboard paint. I painted both sides of the cardboard tags and they worked wonderfully. You can wipe them clean and use them again and again.

I used some mason jars as vases and decorated them with some paper doilies then placed them together onto a silver tray for my centrepiece.

 What do you think did it turn out ok?

xx

Kitchen Aid was the Winner!

Do you remember my blog a few weeks back on whether you preferred your Kitchen Aid Mixer or your Kenwood Chef?

The Kitchen Aid Mixer was the winner and I was really hoping I would get one for Mother's Day

I wasn't sure I would because they are a little pricey and I figured that I may have to wait and get a combined pressie for Birthday, Christmas and our Wedding anniversary. They are all in December so that could work!

But no, I didn't have to wait! I have the most wonderfullest family and I totally got spoilt yesterday :-)

I am one very, very, very, happy girl

and it works, Nicholas made me pancakes for breakfast yesterday and we used the new mixer. 

I put the ingredients in and then I turned it on.

I didn't have to cook the pancakes or clean it up. 

I just got to sit back and watch while I had my coffee:-)

I used the mixer again today to make lunch, because I could. 

We had a frittata so I whisked the eggs in it, it worked well.

I am a little nervous though, 

I feel a little pressured to be producing nicer food. 

I think the boys may start to expect cakes that are soft and spongy now,

 maybe even fancy stuff like meringues

Lucky Nick booked me into the 'How to use your new Kitchen Aid Mixer' class. I have a feeling I need it!

Did you have a nice Mother's Day?

xx

Happy Friday

I have had a lovely week and again I am reminded of how blessed I am. 

I have had a wonderful morning starting with a Mother's day breakfast at my son's school.

Stopped in to the Bank (my ex work place) to say 'Hello' and was very thankful that it was a social call

Spent hours (am still here actually) at the indoor play centre, drinking coffee and working all while watching my nephew have lots of fun.

I have a wonderful husband who supports me in everything I do

and I have a wonderful son who makes me so proud and I am sure will spoil me on Sunday ;-)

I hope you all have a lovely weekend and 

Happy Mother's Day!

xx

Mother's Day Inspiration

Earlier in the week I popped into the florist and spotted theses gorgeous large white chrysanthemums. I am sorry I can't remember the name of them but they looked like this.

http://www.lovelyfotos.com/p-white-chrysanthemum/

Aren't they beautiful? On the spur of the moment I ordered some for our Mother's Day lunch. I had no idea what I was going to do but they were so pretty! To be safe I ordered white and figured that when I decided on a colour I could just see what the florist had on the day and add them.

http://flowerpics.net/chrysanthemum-flower/white-chrysanthemum-flower.html 

I went searching for inspiration and have decided on white and green, silver and a bit of black. 

Classic, stylish and green is my favourite colour!

http://pinterest.com/rachelrechner/  

Nick & Nicholas get to cook and I get to decorate! 

Best combination if you ask me :-)

http://www.marthastewartweddings.com/231097/white-wedding-centerpieces/@center/272498/centerpieces 

http://www.doityourself.com/stry/creative-wedding-decor#b

http://www.projectwedding.com/wedding-ideas/diy-wedding-challenge-2010-fabric-flower

What are your plans for Mother's Day? 

After church we are hosting lunch for my mum, my sister and her family, hopefully my other sister and her boyfriend, possibly Nick's Sister and her family and maybe Nick's Nan & Pop.

Life happens and unfortunately some may not make it but it will be nice if they can.

We picked up my nephew last night and he is staying with us until Sunday so I am looking forward to a few busy fun filled days!

Enjoy the rest of your week.

xx

Mother's Day Gift Packs

This week I have been adding a new 'one only' gift pack to my online store.

 Each gift pack has a combined value of around $50

I am selling them for $30

That is a saving of 40%

I have only sold one so far....

Deep breath.....

OK, I am now bracing myself for criticism 

but I really need to learn how to do this right...

What am I doing wrong? Is the pack not appealing? Is the photo bad? Do I need more detail?

Please don't be too harsh I would appreciate it if you pointed out my faults in a nice way :-)

Thanks

xx

Giveaway for Mother's Day

Just a reminder that I am giving away a 

$100 gift voucher to 

McCarthy Designs & Occasions online store.

Vintage Style bottle with stopper

Country House Sandalwood scented candle

Black flower evening purse

Large plate or book stand

These are just a few of the goodies I have available in store.

To enter my giveaway go here.

Wishing you all a great weekend. 

xx

Kitchen Aid or Kenwood Chef

Ok bloggy friends, Mother's day is just around the corner and I need to start dropping hints.

I would love a new mixer as I know it would help me become a Domestic Goddess but I am undecided about which one to get. 

I thought I wanted the Kitchen Aid mixer and I love the red, (but I would play it safe/boring and get the brushed nickel)

But I have heard that the Kenwood Chef mixer is better. 

I am in need of your help, this is a big investment I don't expect to be replacing it in a hurry (there are far to many other pretty things that are not practical that I would like to buy as well) and I am not even sure that I will get one for Mother's Day, I may have to wait until the end of the year and ask for a  combined Birthday/Anniversary/Christmas present in order to justify the expense but I would love to hear your thoughts.

Do you have one? Which one? Do you know anyone that has one and do they like it? 

Do you have another mixer that works just as well or better?

Please tell me all, the good, the bad and the ugly?

I did mention that I am a researcher, didn't I?

xx

PS. I am running a Mother's Day giveaway on my FB page for $100 gift voucher to my online store. More details to come but if you want to check it out go here.