Calling for Questions

At the moment I am rather behind on replying to all your wonderful emails and since reading the very clever Clare's post from The Home She Made with a bit of a Question and Answer time, I thought this would be good way to be able to finally reply to everyone with their queries.
So... in true copy cat fashion, I am halfway through writing a post but just thought I would do a call out for any other questions you have , about anything. Products I may have used, furniture, routines, craft etc.
You name it, just ask it. If its too personal however, I am happy to reply individually.
If you have any requests or ideas for future posts, please direct those in an email also.
I have already had a request (thanks Lee!) for a post on my favourite shopping sites, online stores etc, so that is on its way!

Shoot through your questions to ; bizzydayzblog@gmail.com

Looking forward to hearing from you!

Wardrobe Organising

First up, I just want to thank everyone for their support, kind words and encouragement about my post yesterday, and my whinge on my Facebook page. I would never wish bad days on anyone but its nice to know that everyone has them, and we are all in this together. Mothering is not easy, kids are testing, and life can be hard!

But... today was a new day. And it was a good day.  And I have no doubt tomorrow will be even better!

On to the point of the post;

A few days ago I set out on an organising mission. Our walk in robe has been my pet hate of our house (with quite a few other things too , don't you worry!) .

Its a big robe, we are very lucky, but we certainly need it! I am a lover of all things in a wardrobe. Shoes , Oh yeah I LOVE shoes.

Jewellery, yep love that too!

And clothes, well a girls gotta wear something , right?

Plus our wardrobe is used for storage of other things as well. Computer and camera items. Presents bought in advance. Keepsakes that are too good for the garage or shed.

And it was an absolute PIGSTY!! Bad.

So , off to Target I went (as its our only department store) with limited funds, but a need for supplies.

*Please excuse the pics during this post, the WIR is long and narrow and very dark.

So here are the BEFORE pics

Bad huh?

From Target I picked up a few organising baskets etc and found these. They were $10 for a pack of 2 and I LOVE them.

They zip up on the bottom for easy assembly and storage when not in use. They are quite firm, wipe able and in a nice light, natural colouring/pattern. 

 And the AFTERS;

Top shelf jewellery
Next one is shorts and 3/4 casuals
Next is a spare Project Life kit (as I scrapbook in our room) and a paper holder
and the basket on the floor has scarves, hats, beanies etc

My handbags are kept on the top shelf , in these white baskets, with clutches, purses etc. Then there is a camera bag and white storage box with my camera lense boxes, filters and a few spare lenses ( I bought my camera second hand and got a few lenses with it that I don't use)

The plastic storage tubs up the top are of Christmas presents for the kids I have already bought ( I buy most presents online, from Ozsale etc super cheap, and just put them away. Even if something is going to be 3 sizes too big, it will fit one day!)

The brown Pappis Boxes from IKEA, have presents for babies, presents for kids, and keepsakes.

  I need a new solution for my shoes, instead of having them on a shoe rack, to which I never replace them or strewn all over the floor. These drawers with the plastic baskets are on clearance at Target for $20. Not super cheap but they are easy to use, easy to clean and I can always use the baskets separately elsewhere if they don't work out to be working.

I have separated the drawers into thongs, sandals, flats , heels etc. I have nearly finished making up labels , I will post them when they are finished!!

A few pairs of my chunkier cork shoes are a bit bulky so I thought I would just put them to the side, and the white big basket (only just visible) under the dresses, is full of my boots, sneakers etc.

The white drawers are for Hubby's scarfs, beanies, normal socks, ties etc

The man folks end. Jumpers on top with his trusty hat. 

First shelf is T-shirts and singlets
Next is boardies and tracksuit pants
Next is work clothes
And on the floor are work socks , and in the white basket are sports clothes.

And now for the jewellery. Just to warn you; I have ALOT!! Like heaps. But coming from a hairdresser background, costume jewellery is everything. I tended to wear alot of black, and then dress it up with funky necklaces and an arm party of bracelets or bangles.
I have had this organiser for a while, I bought it at Target as well, and it has all the nifty compartments for bracelets, and they are clear so you can still see all your goodies.
The hanging basket up the top is of brooches and flowers etc.
And you can see that belts are hanging on the right.

And then come the necklaces!! And I had a cull a few months ago, this is only half of what I did have. When we moved in DH screwed these hook racks to the wall. Its been the best thing ever.

And that's it! Its not completely finished, and it doesn't look absolutely fantastic but its working, its functional and its alot cleaner and tidier than it was!

Gotta love that!

Keeping it real - Tomorrow is a new day

Please note - This post has alot of whinging, be prepared!! I am feeling sorry for myself!

I have declared today the "crack the poops" day! Whats that saying about the straw that broke the camels back? Well I think today I had the whole bloody box of straws thrown at my back! ( different straws I know, but YKWIM right?
And did it break? Nearly!
Am I a broken women? Nearly... not quite.... maybe
But tomorrow is a new day, well that is what I keep telling myself! And I am going to try and think positively!

Well it seems having two , 2 year olds is starting to take its toll on me!! Fellow twin Mummy's will understand!!
TWO  2 year olds!!
Now I am not saying that one 2 year old is not bad, because I know that it is and I remember thinking to myself when Stella was 2 , "Gee, this is hard, these terrible two's suck!" and I would have hissy fits, be cranky when DH got home from work, wonder if life was going to get better  ( I had the twins when Stella had just turned 2 so that could have had something to do with it too!)  But in hindsight , she was PERFECT!! Didn't touch something after she was told not to, didn't run away when supposed to be walking somewhere, never ran amok in a shop or cafe.
But every Mum ( of kids older than 2!) know what is like to have a darling 2 year old, but 2!!!!! Two!!
And these precious twins of ours, if you say "Don't touch that" they stare you in the eyes, and touch it to spite you. Seriously!
You feel powerless, you feel like you have no control. And they are my own children.
Its like they gang up on you!! They scheme  behind the scenes, plot their attack and bam! Gotcha MUM!!!
Their moods feed of each other, they demand cuddles and solo affection at the same time. They know the perfect time to act up, and its usually when you just start a phone conversation!
And today I had a down day. I like to call them "Mental Health Days" . I might be a tad depressed, I don't know, its such a broad spectrum, but really I think that things are just piling up.
I have had a bad day and its hard. Its hard to pick yourself back up , dust yourself off and soldier on. But You have to, I have to. My family depends on me. And really, is anything that bad?
The washing that I just can NOT get to take off the line daily.
My floors that are rank because I just can not get to vac and mop in the one go and there is no point mopping without vacuuming etc.
The screaming that continues for what seems like eternity , until you feel like your ears are bleeding?

Timing is not the best here either. We have just about finished with our toilet training of Max and Lacey.
Angus has just popped his first tooth .
And we have commenced "Operation Wean off the dummy" Its serious business for our darling Max!! He loves nothing more than his sooky Teddy rug and Dummy.
The easy option? Let him have it whenever he pleases. It would stop the screaming and ease the days considerably. But that's not an option for me.
We have started and now we can't stop, well I feel anyway. Short term pain for long term gain.
There are plenty of reasons why I should let him have them. He's snuffly, he's tired, he's a bit vulnerable with the toileting. But that could go on forever!

I think I am down on a lot of things. I am down on friendships. Friends you thought cared and don't, friends you thought appreciated and don't, friends you thought valued your time and energy , and don't.
I am down on life. I am down on the lack of time and the lack of money ( haha isn't everyone?)
But I think I am feeling more disappointment than anything!
My best friend and I were talking today , about disappointment is one of the worst feelings in life I believe. Anger you can calm down, upset and you can cry it out and eat some comfort food and Bobs your Uncle, but there isn't a quick fix for feeling let down. Once it happens. Its with you for life.

And you know what is the saddest thing? If I was offered total child free time, which never EVER happens, you know what I would want to do? Its not a facial, its not a massage, its not reading a mag with a coffee.
I would LOVE to mop my floor. I would LOVE to clean my windows.
Or maybe I would LOVE the time to be able to do those things if I so wish?!
And if I had that sort of time, all the time.
Perhaps relaxing would be nice too!!
But hey, I only have 18 years to wait for that , right?!!

Tomorrow is a new day.
I am real.
This is keeping it real.
If you had this sort of day too, or have them quite regularly, you are NOT alone. And don't EVER think you are!!
Tomorrow is a new day... Bring it on!!

To capture or live it?

I have been given a nickname around our home, affectionately by my dear husband ,of "Pappa". Paparazzi of course! Anytime I get out my lovely camera , anytime, anywhere , every.single.day, he cringes!! That's when the nickname starts flowing!
You see, I like to take photos. Actually, I really like to take photos. I am no professional photographer, but I like to capture moments in time, and make them last forever. I like these moments to be all around me, everyday and for my children to be surrounded by them. On photo walls, in frames, in albums, in scrapbooks. Anywhere, and everywhere..
Every night when we sit down to relax, surf the net, watch TV, he looks through the new photos that have popped up on his photo stream since hitting our WIFI connection (with the help of iCloud) to see what has happened throughout the day. To see the photos I have taken and the little people I have taken them of. Without fail, everyday, there is at least 2. Two photos, seven days a week, 52 weeks in a year. And that's just iPhone photos, then there are the ones from my DSLR and perhaps just a few (yeah right !) that have been edited and loaded onto Instagram.

Are you hearing me? Are you sitting at home nodding your head? Does this sound like you or do you sound ALOT worse?! LOL

I know its been talked about before, and I can't remember where, so if you have blogged about this, please share the link or let me know and I will link up, but with our run of birthdays last month, I got to thinking. I was charging the camera battery and making sure the video camera one was set as well, was I doing the right thing?

iPhone photo of a block building session

Do I capture these moments in stills and video, so the kids have them forever, so they can look back and reflect, or do I enjoy the moment and experience it for myself?
Through my eyes, not through a lens?
For the kids to see my happy , smiling face, and not that of a big black camera, saying "Look at Mum"
For their memories of their birthdays to be of millions of photos being taken and have those photos in albums to share with their own children, or of their mother, totally encased in happiness because it was her dear child's birthday?
Do I run the risk of missing that special moment, connection, sweet, pure joy, because I am fiddling with a camera, because I am trying to snap it?

Our poor sick big girl, she had an ear infection

Either way , is bittersweet.
So..... what did I/we do? We videoed for a few minutes, just the initial wake up and the reaction to the present pile. I snapped on automatic settings, and every few minutes, putting the camera down to open presents, build toys and interact.

Darling Max, they were pretending to play hospitals and he was the patient, but they he stayed there and turned into a sook!

I can not bear to put the camera away for good. But I have definitely cut down. But I love the fact that the kids will each have albums to take with them when they leave home. To share with their own families one day, to remember little things. The way I folded clothes. The meals I made. The fashions of our time.
Not just one album, like so many of us have , of our own childhood and baby stages, but many. To have pieces of art, cards, receipts, tickets. You name it. All in albums.

Seriously the funniest thing ever!! A teeny, tiny mouse ran into my pantry !!! (OMG I HATE THEM!!) In my pantry!! And my sister and I were up on the kitchen bench and the great mouse hunt was underway!!

But I am definitely glad I have this moment. This thought. And all with such good timing, because I really did absorb so much more of their special days, experienced it. Without stressing about photos and videos.

I'm curious, what is your opinion?
What is more important?

Laundry finishing touches

If you are a long time follower of my Facebook page, you would know that last year, we added some overhead cupboards and a benchtop to our teeny tiny laundry. I have never gotten around to sharing the finished product , because quite frankly, its never been finished.

Just small things, the bulk of it is finished and looks fantastic and is so much more user friendly, especially with a baby ,  but there are still a few little things that need to be marked off the list, that really bug me!!

However, one of the main things that I have wanted to finish in the room, is the wall decorations. Its quite hard to find nice prints, pictures or decorating items for a laundry, and I am quite fussy even when I do find something!! Its even more difficult when you already have a print and want the colours to match.

So the solution, of course, is making something myself!

So I made this cute little deco, and put it in a frame from IKEA.

It was so quick and easy, and Stella was even able to help!

She helped me find the letters on the sticker sheet!!

I just used a piece of cardstock in a matching colour to our existing print, trimmed it to a 5 x 7 size.

Then I found some white letters (these are with glitter and the Thickers range) and stuck them on.

Finished with a touch of glue on a teeny peg.

And next to our existing print, which is a free printable - details in my extended laundry post.

I have a few other ideas and things up my sleeve but I'll save that for another time!

And totally not related to our laundry but just because they are pretty,  gorgeous blooms from our garden have been adorning our dining table lately. They are so beautiful!!

A House with a Roof

Yesterday was a day of rest and recoup at our house. DH was home with an RDO, however the kids seemed to have woken on the wrong side of the bed!! They were all rather precious, and seemed to be a bit like that all week. Things didn't really improve for poor Stella and we ended up in an after hours appointment at the Doctors and a diagnoses of an Ear Infection and the start of a throat infection!! No wonder she was miserable and slept on and off throughout the day (that in itself spells trouble , as she hasn't had a day sleep for some time now!)

Anyway, by the afternoon, the kids needed some entertainment or activity and a bit of a pick-me-up, and a craft session is always a winner!!

I hadn't planned anything , therefore whatever I decided to do , had to be quick and easy to organise and complete.

At kindy, Stella has been learning about herself, her body, her family, where she lives etc, so I thought houses would be a nice yet simple activity.

All we needed and used were;

A few buttons for door handles

Popsticks for a fence

A few Feathers, perhaps materials etc

A few cut outs of clouds

Some cirles for suns

And different sized pieces of cardstock for doors, windows, chimneys etc.

You really could use anything and everything, and had we had more time, better moods and a bit more forethought, we would have headed outside to collect things from the garden to use. Such as rocks for a path, leaves for trees etc

Obviously this is Stella's. She can now write her name so fluently, and confidently, is gorgeous!!

She used feathers for the suns rays, pieces of paper she cut herself for flower petals and a button centre, and I helped her to use little pieces of fabric as curtains in the windows!

Max and Lacey need a fair bit of supervision, or rather help, when it comes to glueing etc. If not , you would not be looking at something that resembles a house!!  Max was more worried about using the glue brush, and Lacey was full ball into just sticking anything down!

Hers is quite simple because she was more excited about putting her picture on the board than finishing it!!

So now we have a new look to our art board!! This has honestly been the best thing we have done, and our display is constantly changing, its wonderful!

And the best thing? Clean up only took a few minutes!! Got to love that!!

You have also got to love the beautiful baby watching everything!!
( See the white cupboard inbetween the 2 existing ones? With the laminater on top? Its our new Microwave cupboard!! I can't wait for it to go up, and to show you!!)

Another easy and quick craft to do with your kiddies!!

They will appreciate you making the time and effort and you will appreciate the handmade goodness at the end! xo

Mothers Day

So Sunday was Mothers Day, in case you didn't notice or you have been living under a rock!

I hope that all the lovely Mum's out there had a wonderful day!
I know I certainly did! And for all those that didn't, I am sorry. Your man folk need a swift kick up the be-hind or I hope that next years is an improvement!

This year I wanted to do a few more handmade gifts, seeing as though the kids are older and are a little more understanding of what is happening and also from a budget point of view.

Plus what Nanna or Grandma doesn't love a bit of finger print love from the grandies?

We made these cute bookmarks using the printables created by Bianca at 'A Little Delightful' seen HERE.  I love using Printables, and Bianca makes them so easy to use and super gorgeous too!

 I just got the kids to stamp their finger prints in a flower pattern, drew a stem and leaves and centre to the flowers. Them laminated , punched a hole in the top and tied some ribbon to finish.
Cute!

For my Mother in Law, we kept things simple and went with a pot of Chysanthemum'. But I wanted to jazzy it up a bit! When I went food shopping the other day, my local Woolworth's had these cute plastic faux terracotta pots on sale for $1.25, and I knew they would be perfect.
My first thought was paint but being plastic it would just scratch off, so we did some hand prints with paint, I cut around them, laminated and re cut and glued them to the outside of the pot!!
Nannies little pile (minus her canvas) with the interview ( as below) and picture drawn by Stella rolled up with ribbon.

Stella and I also did interviews about My Mum and Me, and the pics are pretty cute too! I also laminated these for safe keeping! The printable is also by A Little Delightful, and available HERE.

And as a cute finishing touch, the kids also did some paint hand prints on these canvas; ( $6 for set of 3 different sizes from Crazy Clarkes) and I added a card stock pot and leaves , then spray a sealer over the top (something I had in the cupboard)

 

So there you have our cute , handmade with love gifts for our precious Mums.

I had a beautiful day with  my wonderful day with my family. My husband made me a yummy cooked breakfast, the kids had the biggest , proudest faces on when giving me my pressies ( a bag of scrapbooking supplies, a bunch of flowers and some yummy choccies) and Stella was able to finally give me the beautiful beaded necklace and bracelet she had made at school and kept a secret (well sort of !!) and a cute big hand print and picture of her!
I am a spoilt and very lucky Mum!!
 And now for some pics , unfortunately its near on impossible to get a good shot, or any for that matter, of our 4 kids together. Max hates photos that he is made to be in and they never co ordinate!!

See me lovely necklace?

The best of a bad bunch of pics, its the moment and thought that counts!! My cherubs

My oldest and youngest! 2 peas in a pod these 2!! They are so similar in every way, completely gorgeous!!

           And my Mum, Sister and I at our yummy morning tea!! A rare photograph!

And the pics that stole my heart! The love my children have for their Grandma ( My Mum) is truly amazing!! They love her and she loves them just as much!

My Mum is the most selfless, caring, thoughtful and hard working person I know and will ever meet in my lifetime! She has taught me how to love , to be a good mother and I know that if I am only a fraction of the mother she is, my kids will be happy.
She is my best friend, second only to my husband, and there isn't a day that goes by that I don't speak to her or think of her. She supports to no end, even when I have crazy ideas and push myself to the extremes, she encourages, and in the end, she is always there to pick up the pieces, give me a cuddle and prop me up for another round of "Liz's Crazy Ideas".
She has worked hard for her family all her life, given up so much so that we could have so much, and for that I will be eternally grateful.
Happy Mothers Day to My wonderful Mum, she is honestly the BEST and I couldn't live without her!! Love you Mum!!

A belated Happy Mothers Day to all the Mummy's out there, we are a blessed bunch. A lot of people aren't as lucky to be given the gift of motherhood, so we are so very lucky. Enjoy and embrace it xo