Tuesday Chat with Pip & Will

Today's chat is with Kendelle from Pip and Will. Kendelle's range is just adorable and I have to resist the urge to buy something whenever she brings in new stock! :-)

Tell us a bit about you and what you sell/make? 

I am currently a stay at home mum.  I have one amazing little boy and another on the way!  I make and sell crochet items for babies and children. 

Why did you start to make and sell your own products?

During my last pregnancy I wanted to find a way to make money while at home with a new baby.  I tried a few things which weren’t really my thing, and I left the idea for a while.   When one of the talented girls in mothers group showed me a gorgeous baby blanket she had crocheted for her son, I thought I’d give it a go.  After much frustration, online tutorials and many crochet books, I finally taught myself - and discovered that with all my perseverance, I was quite good at it!  My great Grandma was excellent at crochet, so I believe I have inherited the skill from her.    So this new found love for crocheting has consumed a lot of my time this past year and I hope to continue building my little business and creating wonderful handmade pieces.

What does a normal day look like for you?

A normal day for me involves a lot of play and learning activities with little man.  That takes up most of the day.  In between parenting duties, I try and fit in some study, cleaning and crocheting. 

Where are you most creative/what time of the day are you most creative?

It varies each day depending on how much energy and motivation I have to create something!  Creativity can come from anywhere and everywhere.

Where do you get your inspiration from?

My son, other babies, different products on the market, and Pinterest! I LOVE pinterest!

Do you buy things for your house because they look pretty or because they are functional and serve a purpose?

Both.  I used to be an impulsive buyer and buy a lot of impractical items just because they were aesthetically appealing.  My budget doesn’t allow for such purchases these days!  I still buy things that are lovely to look at, but most importantly it has to be functional.

 

What is your dream job?

My dream job is to be a Tour Guide.  I am currently studying Tourism, so within the next few years I will (fingers crossed!) own and run a tour company in the area.

Do you have a major goal this year and what is it?

Welcome a happy and healthy boy into the world and make the transition from being a mum of one to a mum of two

Finish study

Continue creating new and exciting products and ideas for Pip and Will

Are you a homebody or a traveller?

Both.  I love to travel and see new places, but I I’ve been a lot more of a homebody since having a child.

How do you relax?

Going for a walk, watching a bit of tv, having a glass of red, or going to bed!

It was lovely to catch up with Kendelle and get to know her a bit more. The Pip and Will range is available in store now so pop in and have a look!

Have a great week!

Nellie

xx

Tuesday Chat - Brie's Boo Teek

It's that time again, welcome to Tuesday Chat.

Today we are meeting Karina who is the founder of 

Brie's Boo Teek. 

Tell us a bit about you and what you sell/make?

I'm a mother of two, son 5 and daughter 2. I do alterations and ironing from home, accounts for a company and sew for my online, facebook and now in-store baby items. I make bibs, teethers, burp cloths, dummy clips, pram clips, nappy wallets, custom outfits and so much more. 

                       

Why did you start to make and sell your own products?

I started sewing in 2013 when my daughter was born, she was my inspiration. People loved what I was making and asked to buy, it started from there.

What does a normal day look like for you?

Most creative in the morning, I'm a morning person.

Where are you most creative/what time of the day are you most creative?

Most creative in the morning, I'm a morning person.

Where do you get your inspiration from?

I get my inspiration from what my kids need, Pinterest, Google searches and from other crafty people.

Do you buy things for your house because they look pretty or because they are functional and serve a purpose?

A bit of both.

What is your dream job?

I’m doing it

Do you have a major goal this year and what is it?

I would love to get my business onto a website, etsy and just re-brand.

Are you a homebody or a traveller?

I’m a homebody

How do you relax?

I relax by having a glass of wine, watching my fave shows or reading a good book.

 Thank you Karina for your time and letting us get to know you a bit better. 

Join us again next week for Tuesday Chat as we meet another talented entrepreneur.

Tuesday Chat with Lullaby Lane

Welcome to Tuesday Chat, this is going to be a regular spot were I'll introduce you to our designers and suppliers as well as catch up with creative people who inspire others.

Our first guest is Kerry Rodwell who is the talented lady behind Lullaby Lane, grab a cuppa, sit down and enjoy getting to know Kerry.

1. Tell us a bit about you and what you sell/make?

I am a wife and a mum of 3 boys, I am also a banker.

I make and sell a variety of things including kids and ladies clothing, blankets, pillows, library bags, baby gifts (bibs, burp cloths, nappy wallets & Taggy's, pram liners and covers.

2. Why did you start to make and sell your own products?

I started making these things after a morning tea catch-up with a girlfriend who had a play mat/pram cover that she had just purchased but she still had to peg or tie it onto the pram and the comment was made "I am sure you could make that" so I did with a modification that allowed you to clip the cover onto the pram so it didn't blow off in the wind and it just morphed from there with my friends giving me ideas of what would be handy for them.

3. What does a normal day look like for you?

A normal day for me is getting the kids up and ready for school as well as getting myself ready for work as a banker 4 days a week, finishing work and trying to fit in a workout at the gym followed by dinner, homework and the bedtime routine, after which I will then either plan the next sewing project or do some sewing.

4. Where are you most creative/what time of the day are you most creative?

I am most creative at home in the evenings depending on how frantic it has been for the day but mainly on the weekends in the afternoon after the kids have finished sport and are having some quiet time.

   

  
 5. Where do you get your inspiration from?

I get my inspiration from my family and friends and their thoughts on what products they would like that are not out there in the market and what patterns and colours they want in fabric. As well as this I love just looking through all the fabrics in store and online.  When you see a fabric you can most of the time think "yes that would look awesome in a particular pattern"  but the majority is from customer input.

6. Do you buy things for your house because they look pretty or because they are functional and serve a purpose?

It is a bit of both for me, practical use is always at the forefront of my mind though as I like to be organised but I do like pretty things too that can dress the place up.

7. What is your dream job?

My dream job would be owning a fabric/craft store and sewing all the time.

8. Do you have a major goal this year and what is it?

My major goal this year would be a purchasing a new wiz bang sewing machine and taking the family on a much needed family fun holiday.

9. Are you a homebody or a traveller?

I am more of a homebody than a traveller but I am also a dreamer.

10. How do you relax?

Funny enough I relax by sewing and love a puzzle book, although when I buy a new puzzle book I say that I will only do a couple of them at a time and end up finishing the book in a couple of days which many would say is not relaxing as the mind is still working.  I do also like a bit of brain dead mindless TV.

You can find a gorgeous range of items from Lullaby Lane in store at McCarthy Designs and Occasions, we are located at 15 William St, Orange NSW 2800

or browse through our FB page, we are happy to post anything you see. Just contact us for more details.

A pregnancy update

Thank you for all of your prayers and well wishes it is such a comfort to us knowing that we have so many people surrounding  us in prayer.

The procedure went well yesterday and bub is looking good too. I am going home today and will be monitored closely over the next few weeks to make sure the stitch is doing it's job and the cervix remains closed.

Once again thank you, reading all of your messages really helped keep me positive and at peace throughout the whole thing.

Nellie

xx

Babies & Prams - help needed

I am asking for advice from all of my knowledgeable friends out there.

Now that we are in the second half of this pregnancy we are starting to think about what we will need for bub. At the moment I am really focused on getting a pram/stroller that I am happy with. 

I have a few requirements and I think that in order to get something I am happy with I am willing to invest a bit more in it.

My requirements are:

Lightweight - I found when I had Nicholas (years ago) that even a few kilos makes a big difference and I ditched the bulky pram early on in favour of a better quality stroller that had a lay back options and higher handles.

Ability to add a toddler seat

Suitable from birth to toddler

Compact - I don't want anything too wide or bulky, when we go away I don't want the pram taking up a third of the space we have

All terrain - I want to be able to go for walks easily and not battle with gutters or dirt tracks

I think that's about it, I would love to hear your recommendations and opinions on prams/strollers that you own or have used. Please spill all, the good and the bad I am finding it all a little confusing.

The steelcraft strider seems to be very popular but also very wide and perhaps a little bulky

Steelcraft have just released a compact version of the Strider that sounds better, narrower and lighter

Phil & Ted have a few from their range that seem to fit my requirements

Please help??? What do you think?

Photos from Steelcraft and Phil & Ted's websites

Welcome to the World Eden

Today's post is a very special one

Last night my niece was born

"Welcome to this world Eden

May you be blessed throughout your life and know the Lord's abundant love for you always

May you be a blessing to all who you meet in your life

and may you bring love and joy to those around you

I am looking forward to meeting you Eden

and I can't wait to give you lots of cuddles 

Love your Aunty Nellie xx"

None of these cuties are Eden but they are so gorgeous and I couldn't resist sharing them.

My friend Kiah is the owner of Stephens Photography, you can visit her blog here

or her face book page here

She has lots of lovely photos for you to admire, pop over and have a look I am sure they will make you smile.

xx

One Year Later

Yesterday was one year since we said good bye to our precious boy Charlie. 

If you are a new friend or you missed out on that part of our journey you can read about it here. 

You have all been so wonderfully supportive and many of you have asked how I am going. I am going well. It has been tough at times and I did have another miscarriage not long after Charlie's birth but the doctors and specialists could find no reasons why I was miscarrying. The last specialist we saw advised that I give my body a rest for about 6 months. So we did. 

Having 3 miscarriages in 12 months, two of them being in the 2nd trimester was hard. I lost a lot of blood with those two miscarriages and it is only now that I am feeling better that I realise just how tired my body was.

I am glad that we had a break but it wasn't easy to just wait. 

Our human nature urges us to get in and fix the problem not sit back and wait, combine that with the pressure of a ticking body clock and my desire to have a few more babies, not just one made the waiting very hard!

So we are trying to have a baby again and I am trying very hard not to become consumed by the process and the desire. 

The new business has been a great project for me to focus on and channel my energy into. It is a blessing to be able to be doing something I love and having the flexibility to be around for our son when he gets home from school and during the holidays is fantastic.

Thanks for being around when I've needed you and for stopping by and visiting me. Thanks to all of you who emailed me to check on how I was. 

I would appreciate your prayers as we try to have a baby, twins would be just fine :-) and would love to hear any advice you may have.

Hope you all have a wonderful week!

xx

Grieving

Grief is a multi-faceted response to loss, particularly to the loss of someone or something to which a bond was formed. Although conventionally focused on the emotional response to loss, it also has physical, cognitive, behavioral, social, and philosophical dimensions. While the terms are often used interchangeably, bereavement often refers to the state of loss, and grief to the reaction to loss.

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

There are stages of grieving and everyone grieves differently.

 

As part of my grieving I wrote my last post. I wasn’t being particularly brave or strong when I wrote it. I cried as I typed and at times I had to stop writing and let my tears flow free before I could continue. Putting my experience in writing was a step that I needed to take so that I could move on a bit further through my grief.

 

Once I had written about my experience I was able to stop remembering every detail just in case I forgot. I knew I could go back and read it whenever I needed to.

 

Each day gets easier and each day I have been feeling stronger physically, spiritually and emotionally. I am so thankful that I was able to take time to be alone and to rest, to heal. I am glad that I didn’t have to rush back into society and act normal!

 

Next week I am going back to work and I am ready to try again!

During these last weeks the Lord has shown me how much I have to be thankful for and how blessed I am. I have discovered just how much good there is in the world and how important relationships are.

 

Thank you for all of your kind words, your thoughts, support and prayers. Each and every comment helped me along in my recovery and made me feel cared for,

it has made me realise how important a kind word can be and I pray that I will be able to bless others the way that you have all blessed me.

 

Nellie

xx

17 weeks

 Here it is the long awaited belly pic ; )

17 weeks today!! 

(I apologise for the photo quality,

I was rushing out the door to my doctors appointment,

No, I did not run out the door in only my tights and top,

 I did throw a knitted dress over the top)

The doctors visit went very well and I will have my ultrasound in about 2.5 weeks.

I am really looking forward to the ultrasound

 I want to see the baby again to reassure myself that it is healthy and alive.

I seem to worry a lot more that maybe things have stopped progressing and I just haven't realised because there aren't any physical symptoms.

I know that it is because of the last pregnancy where we thought all was fine until we went for the 12 week ultrasound and discovered that there was no fetus and only a sac,

I know that it is silly to worry about it, but sometimes I can't help it!

We would like to find out if the baby is a boy or a girl and we are more than happy to share the news!

I know some of our family don't want to know but we will cross that bridge when we get to it!

I wore maternity clothes to work for the first time yesterday I think it was because on Wednesday I wore this .....

and I think I look fat and not pregnant.

(Again sorry for the poor quality photo, I was on my way out the door to go to work and both photos were taken on my phone and come to think of it my mirror probably needs a good clean!)

Maternity clothes make you look more like you're pregnant

and less like you've been indulging

in far too many Easter eggs ; )

(is anyone else like me and buys the little chocolate eggs for gifts and then opens them and proceeds to eat them bit by bit until you realise that you have to go and buy more because you don't have any left for giving !)

Anyway, my aim for today is to try and get a start on my easter gifts and hopefully get most of them finished.

Easter is only a week away!

Have a great weekend my friends.

xx

The Beauty in Creation

 When you stop to look around it is amazing how much beauty you can find.

In all of God's creation there is so much to be grateful for

Jemima is our cat, she is beautiful

and when I stop long enough to observe her she is full of wonders

I find that most of the time I am always rushing around trying to fit in so much

I don't often stop to appreciate all of the blessings around me

With all of the devastation caused by the flooding around us

I find that I am more and more thankful for what I have

I am thankful for all of the beauty in the world around me

including my beautiful new nephew that I met on the weekend.

I was able to stop and enjoy the beauty in him

He is all of 6 days old

the cute munchkin in the back is also my nephew and my Godson.

He is also very special to me.

I hope you had a great weekend

and that you were reminded in some way of the blessings you have in your life.

We also stopped in Ikea while we were in Sydney after having Yum Cha at Rhodes I am very grateful that I can visit and shop and then I can leave the hustle and bustle of the city and come home to my relatively quiet city of Orange.

What are you grateful for?

xx