my type of Christmas shopping

Source: camillestyles.com via Brenda on Pinterest

In my world, when I go Christmas shopping, it is peaceful, quiet and all is well.

There is nothing overpriced.  And I find everything I'm looking for.

I don't have to fight for a car park, or even pay for said car park and really, I can shop in my tracksuit because I don't care.

There is no havoc, no snotty salesperson to have ones eyes rolled at. Nope.  None. Of. That.

And my kids....well they are peaceful for the whole journey.

So. Where do I go?


Here are my favourite destinations....

Fishpond - for books, movies and dvd packs (free shipping!)
OO.com - for pretty much everything
Kikki K - oh surely everyone is just as in love with stationary as me....
Little shop of - delightful handmade goodies by Melbourne crafters (me included!)
Rudy and the dodo - delightful stuff for little people
Ebay - no explanation really
Asos - well, that might be for me!
Blurb - Oh just made a holiday photo book for the MIL - I'm so going to be the favourite now!
And of course, Etsy and Made It for more handmade and vintage goodness....

Have you embraced online shopping?

Love it or Loathe it? If you haven't guessed I love it.....

And if you love it, which sites do you love?

....do share and happy Christmas Shopping!

xx

Giveaway Part 3 {Fancy a $100 Myer gift card?}

You know I love fashion right? right? And if you frequent here on a Sunday, you can usually catch me linking up with Ms Fancy Pants herself in our quest to make an effort with Fashion at least once a week!

yeah well, I was a little stuck as to how I'd tie in my love of fashion in my Bloggy Birthday Giveaway Extraveganza....

Pondering out loud can sometimes have benefits... Sponsered by my lovely husbands business, he is providing one lucky ready with a $100 Myer Gift Card.

Yep!  $100 bucks, just like that! What would spend it on?  Shoes, coat, jeans, fancy bra!

 Whatever. You. Like!

Ok - how to enter...

simple....

Tell me your favourite colour you love to wear and why?  And I will not accept "Black coz it makes me look skinny"! I'm loving wearing navy, and grey at the moment.  So wintery and not the traditional Melbourne Black!

Please follow my blog if you don't already and ensure that I have a way of contacting you!
Australian Residents Only! Comment away!

For extra entries, just spread the word (twitter, facebook, blog about it - shout it out in the middle of the street - anything really!  Just come back and let me know - one entry for each extra!)

ps - last giveaway tomorrow - so be sure to come back and if you haven't already, go here and here for my other great giveaways!

Rudy and the Dodo {New Stockist!!!}

Let me introduce you to a fabulous online store stocked to the brim with gorgeous delights to tempt anyone who has little people in their lives.  Julia - the amazing woman behind Rudy and the Dodo bought some cards from me a few months ago  - just before she was due to have her third baby and this is when I first discovered her store.  I was thrilled to bits when Julia was so happy with my cards that she ordered a selection of my new 'conversation cards' and 'paper sewn bunting' cards to stock in her store!   

So if your looking for something unique, original, quirky, fair trade or handmade - then look no further!!
You can search by the crazy categories (like - cutie pie ones; craaaazy twos; cyclone threes) and there is even a category for the mumma's!!!

Here are some of my favourites....

 Honey sticks beeswax crayons, knitted play food, craft kit butterfly frame.

Make sure you take a look! 

@ my house....

Playing along with Lou today and sharing a glimpse of what is going on at my house.
This morning we did some grocery shopping - which is always a hoot with my two in tow!  They help with choosing the fruit and vegetables and putting it into the trolley.  I now give my son a "list" of things that he has to get at the shops and today he choose to have 8 items (my son has a bit of a thing with numbers - so today it was the number 8).  I tend to put things on his list that...

a) he can reach
b) interest him, ie, his favourite foods like sultana's, muesli bars, yoghurt etc
c) spread through the store so the game lasts the whole trip.

My daughter sits happily in the trolley and somehow we started a ritual that they could have a slice of wholemeal bread from one of the loaves that I buy.  I really can't believe that they still request it as soon as it goes into the trolley, but I'm not complaining as they merrily chomp on their plain piece of bread whilst I zoom past the confectionary isle.  ;-))

I'm cooking a beef steak salad tonight and couldn't resist some scrumptious root vegetables to go with it.  I am not a fan of tin beetroot, but these beets look so yummy! Some of our other trolley favourites are "triangle cheese" for my daughter and tonic water is really the only soft drink we have, the kids like it and I don't feel guilty letting them have a little bit.   Today I also bought some dill cucumbers which I haven't had for ages, but love them and ate some straight from the jar when I got home!

What's going at your house??  Stop past Lou if you would like to join in!

wardrobe wednesday...

Finally it is spring and I can say good-bye (and good riddance) to winter!

Although this winter has bought with it a few favourite additions to my wardrobe that I know will be enjoyed for many more seasons.

On a recent shopping trip with my mumma bear, I found this dress, stunning charcoal colour with gunmetal zip pockets and a long zip right up the back...

And it was on the rack for sale reduced from $150 to $59!

So I tried it on and trusted my mothers opinion that no, it was not too short! As I went to pay for said dress, this happy purchaser was delighted to know that the dress had been further reduced to $37!

A bargain this good, I can wear it when I duck to the shops for milk and bread!!!

Dress; Ojay
Belt; not sure...
tights; target
boots; tony bianco - birthday gift from mumma bear.
bangles; diva

wardrobe wednesday

I do love a bargin, and I used to enjoy shopping but since little people arrived in my life,  it just does not seem as practical to spend hours in shop after shop and squeezing into tiny little cubicles with prams and toddlers and not to mention the frustration of trying to find nice clothes post-baby!

I have adapted my wardrobe somewhat since being pregnant (twice) and have getting the hang of dressing for my new body type. I am also tempted to try shopping on line for some clothes as I have found some lovely little websites (mostly overseas) but do ship to Australia.  The benefit is also that you can wait for their sale items, which will be in time for our new season stock!

Some items on my wishlist...

all from asos

I'm also finding myself drawn to bloggers who share their fashion tips and wardrobe bargins - like Sophie from her library adventures and Viv from Ish and Chi . 

So, other day I found myself shopping (with my kids) and made a bargain impulse buy with loose change.  It was only a belt but it was $10 and I knew I could use it to update a little dress I hadn't worn for a while. 

So here is....

Belt - newly purchased on sale at Sussan

Dress - a few seasons old from Big W (that was a bargain too)

Leggings from Target

Boots - bought pre-children and still going strong - from Myer 

Bag from Strandbags

How do you shop??  Share your on line adventures or tips to shop with kids!!! 

my creative space...

ahhh....today has been one of those days (i know and its only just lunch time).  My son bit his lip yesterday, so eating is difficult (and painful).  I was feeling like Mother Hubbard (with cupboards bare) this morning so quickly made and list and thought a trip to the Supermarket might break up the morning.  My son was still in pyjama's at 10.30am so my idea of betting the rush was squashed, not to mention the fact that once we did finally get there I realised it was Pension Day!  Argghhhh!  A lady driving very close to the curb gave me a foul look thinking I was going to hit her car with my trolley (yeah sure!) and then I get home to realise that I am two loaves of sliced bread short!  A quick check of my shopping receipt calms me somewhat as I realise I didn't even pay for them - they must have just been forgotten on the check out counter!  Still annoying!

So when I got home and let the fury go, I thought I would finish and then photograph some little paper buntings that I have been working on.  I love sewing with paper and they look really cute hanging up in my daughters room, that I may have to make her one...

I have been trying to think and create some fun items to stock at my next market which will be at Woodend at the Sugar and Spice Market, so along with these buntings, I might make some with a range of different shapes - like garlands of circles joined together - oh the possibilities are endless!  Ah...now I am feeling better!

To check out more creative types head over to Kirsty's