Wednesday, October 12, 2011

How to apply perfect eyeliner! - Beauty Corner

Hello Ladies, I have been so busy with business I regret I have negleted my blog, but these are the sort of things I have been busy working on, I found this great tutorial on how to apply eyeliner which I have shared with my facebook fans... enjoy!

1. As always we start with priming our eyelid to make sure that the makeup will last all day.
 Make sure you get some on the outer corner as well if you want a winged eyeliner like
 Angelina Jolie. I’ve used Napoleon Perdis Auto Pilot (its a crime not to prime)
IMG 8509 How to apply a perfect soft eyeliner in 30 seconds

2. Get your favorite Napoleon liquid liner and line your lash line. You can choose if you
want it to end in the outer corner of if you want a little wing. If you want to wing it a little,
 make sure it’s at an angle with the outer corner of your eye and the end of the eyebrow.
The great thing about this technique is that it does not need to be perfect, but do it fast so
that it won’t dry before you get the chance to smudge it.
(Napoleon Perdis Neo Noir liquid eyeliner) draws like a texta.

IMG 8513 How to apply a perfect soft eyeliner in 30 seconds

3. Take whatever colour you want your line to be on a small brush and smudge out
the liner with the eye shadow. You can use brown or black for a neutral look, or go
for a colour that will compliment your eye colour. For example brown eyes look 
fabulous with green (Napoleon colour disc or loose dust) which brings out the
brown eye. Napoleon sable brush 5a is perfect for this.

IMG 8521 How to apply a perfect soft eyeliner in 30 seconds

4. …and apply Mesmerise mascara. How easy was that? :)

IMG 8553 How to apply a perfect soft eyeliner in 30 seconds

IMG 8539 How to apply a perfect soft eyeliner in 30 seconds
by make up tutorials

Tuesday, September 27, 2011

Motherhood - The best dressed parent ever!



Hello Ladies,


I am so mortified, the worst thing happened to me yesterday. Oh my God, I was sitting at Dome with friends 
(I use the term loosely because it was an accident that we were sitting together anyway and I have never thought that she has really liked me.)
I suddenly felt a tap on my shoulder, I turned to see an old lady. "Excuse me dear but your G String is hanging out, I thought I would tell you in case some not so friendly people start looking at you and think the wrong thing". What the............. what wrong thing???? I was SO humiliated and I have to set this straight, I am so conscious when I wear hipsters and would never knowingly let my G hang out....... and she wasn't being diplomatic either she was being horrid. Somebody on my facebook page suggested maybe it was time for "granny knickers" but no.......... I am so not ready for that, and anyway they would look soooo much worse hanging out don't you think? 


The funny thing is, the "Mum" I was sitting with, I never completely felt as though I FITTED properly in her circle....... I don't know why, but maybe I am a little " too" fashionable, which made the humiliation SO much worse. I cant help it, I love clothes............


At the school gate, as elsewhere, clothes express your tribe, and your status – where you fit in, in other words. Apparently if you look too groomed, you alienate the stay-at-home mums and miss out on themorning-coffee camaraderie. But I definitely get taken more seriously by the teacher on days where I'm dressed up for work, so if I've got something to discuss I save it for when I look smart. Like so many things, it's a balancing act for women. Whether you're a politician's wife or going for a job interview, you want to look stylish but not snooty. And it's human nature for other mums to want to be your mate a little bit more when you do look on trend.


Anyway there are two kinds of mums in the world: those who wear trackies/PJ's in public (she is this one), and the Best Parent Ever, who would never be caught outside the house in anything but full make-up, designer clothes, and heels.(I am this one - well I try anyway ha ha ha x)

Of course, some may admire the Best Parent’s effort to overcome the saggy-baggy doldrums of motherhood while on a simple kiddy-run to the playground. But is it really worth the effort of tottering perilously through the sandbox in heels like a drunken sailor? Or ducking  like a limbo-party reject beneath the metal loops of the jungle gym to preserve one’s freshly-styled do?
Yes, of course it is. Because no matter how painful or clumsy it may appear, the Best Parent’s stylish get-up is specifically engineered to make all the other sweatpants-wearing parents nearby feel even more fat, ugly, and hopeless than they already feel. This once again proves that the Best Parent Ever is not only better than you, they are “hotter” too.
So take that, mumsy, with your dowdy get-up and practical childrearing fashions. The Best Parent Ever may not be able to sprint over in time to stop their littlies from falling headfirst off the monkey bars, but at least they will look good trying, in a trashy, MILF kind of way (G String and all).
What are your thoughts on this? I do think its gross to let your G hang out, but lets face it accidents happen xx A





Quote Of The Day

Words to live by ... Quotes mantra words of wisdom type

Monday, September 19, 2011

Happy Monday!


Hello Ladies,

I hope you had a gorgeous weekend, we did, however it was very windblown here in Perth, and the wind has a habit of making you feel a little out of sorts doesn't it? We have a new friend living in the roof. He or she has been there a little while but last night I woke to what sounded like him using a hammer and nails to build a house of his own above my head. I need a humane trap..... now to find one.

Have a great week everyone xx A

Tuesday, September 13, 2011

Tips on Tuesday - The Magic of Vinegar!

pink dish gloves



Hello gorgeous girls,


I hope your having a great week so far , I found these fabulous tips on how to use vinegar in many ways shapes or forms, I already use it to clean the tiles and have been told many different ways of using it at other times, I just haven't put it into practice yet. Now is the time....... Some of these tips are amazing.  xx A
Unleash the power of white vinegar―an all-purpose cleaner, brightener, herbicide and more. Just a bit of this multitasker, straight up or mixed with water, can replace many pricier products huddled under your sink. Try these tips to see how vinegar can make your life cheaper and easier.
1. Freshen up the fridge. Clean the shelves and walls with a solution of half water and half vinegar.
2. Brighten coffee cups and teacups. Gently scrub stains with equal parts vinegar and salt (or baking soda).
3. Eliminate odors. Swab plastic containers with a cloth dampened with vinegar.
4. Kill bathroom germs. Spray full-strength vinegar around the sink and tub. Wipe clean with a damp cloth.
5. Save a garment. To remove light scorch marks on fabrics, rub gently with vinegar. Wipe with a clean cloth. This technique also works on antiperspirant stains.
6. Tidy up a toilet. Pour a cup or more of diluted white distilled vinegar into the bowl. Let sit several hours or overnight. Scrub well with a toilet brush and flush.
7. Lose the carpet stain. Make a paste of 2 tablespoons white distilled vinegar and ¼ cup salt or baking soda. Rub into the stain and let dry. Vacuum the residue the next day. (Always test an out-of-sight part of the carpet first.)
8. Renew paint brushes. To remove old paint, place brushes in a pot with vinegar. Soak for an hour, then turn on the stove and bring the vinegar to a simmer. Drain and rinse clean.
9. Wipe off a dirty faucet. To get rid of lime buildup, make a paste of 1 teaspoon vinegar and 2 tablespoons salt. Apply to sink fixtures and rub with a cloth.
10. Stop static cling. Add ½ cup of white distilled vinegar to your wash cycle. The acid reduces static and keeps dryer lint from sticking to your clothes.

11. Make old socks look new. Get the stains out of old socks and sweaty gym clothes by soaking them in a vinegar solution. Add 1 cup of white distilled vinegar to a large pot of water, bring to a boil and drop in the stained clothes. Let them soak overnight, and in the morning stained clothes are fresh and bright.
12. Restore handbags and shoes. Wipe white distilled vinegar on scuffed leather bags and shoes. It will restore their shine and help hide the marks.
13. Banish weeds. Pour white distilled vinegar on the weeds growing in the cracks of your walkway and driveway. Saturate the plant so the vinegar reaches the roots.
14. Liven droopy flowers. Don’t throw out cut flowers once they start to wilt. Instead, add two tablespoons of white vinegar and one teaspoon of sugar to a quart of water. Pour the solution into your vase, and the flowers will perk up.
15. Put an end to itching. Dab a cotton ball soaked in white vinegar on mosquito bites and insect stings. It will stop them from itching and help disinfect the area so they heal faster.
16. Whiten your teeth. Brush your teeth once a week with white distilled vinegar. Dip your toothbrush into the vinegar and brush thoroughly. It will help prevent bad breath, too.
17. Make nail polish last longer. Before you apply your favorite polish, wipe your nails with a cotton ball soaked in white distilled vinegar. The clean surface will help your manicure last.
18. Keep car windows frost-free. Prevent windows from frosting over in a storm by coating them with a solution of three parts white distilled vinegar to one part water. The acidity hinders ice, so you won’t have to wake up early to scrape off your car.
19. Let your dog shine. Spray your dog with one cup white distilled vinegar mixed with one quart water. The solution is a cheap alternative to expensive pet-care products, plus the vinegar will help repel pests like fleas and ticks.
20. Battle litter-box odor. Cat litter can leave behind an unwelcome smell. Eliminate it by pouring a half-inch of white distilled vinegar into the empty litter box. Let stand for 20 minutes, then rinse with cold water.
21. Kill bacteria in meat. Marinating in vinegar knocks out bacteria and tenderizes the meat. Create a marinade by adding ¼ cup balsamic vinegar for every 2 pounds of meat to your own blend of herbs and spices. Let the meat sit anywhere from 20 minutes to 24 hours, depending on how strong you want the flavor, then cook it in the morning without rinsing.
22. Prevent cracked eggs. Prevent eggs from cracking as they hard-boil by adding two tablespoons of white vinegar to the water. The eggs will stay intact, and the shells will peel off more easily when you’re ready to eat them.
23. Steam away a microwave mess. Fill a small bowl with equal parts hot water and vinegar, and place it in the microwave on high for 5 minutes. As the steam fills the microwave, it loosens the mess, making clean up a breeze.
24. Repair DVDs. If you have a worn DVD that skips or freezes, wipe it down with white distilled vinegar applied to a soft cloth. Make sure the DVD is completely dry before reinserting it into the player.
25. Get those last drops. If you can’t get that final bit of mayonnaise or salad dressing out of the jar, dribble in a few drops of vinegar. Put the cap on tightly and shake. The remaining condiments will slide out.
26. Rinse fruits and vegetables. Add 2 tablespoons white distilled vinegar to one pint water. Use the mixture to wash fresh fruits and vegetables, then rinse thoroughly. The solution kills more pesticide residue than does pure water.
27. Brighter Easter eggs. Before your kids dye Easter eggs, mix 1 teaspoon of vinegar with ½ cup of hot water, then add food coloring. The vinegar keeps the dye bright and prevents the color from streaking.
28. Loosen a rusted screw. Pour vinegar onto the screw, and it will easily come unstuck
29. Remove gum. To remove gum from fabric or hair, heat a small bowl of vinegar in the microwave. Pour the warm vinegar over the gum, saturating the area. The gum will dissolve.
30. Keep cheese from molding. Wrap cheese in a vinegar-soaked cloth, then place in an airtight container and refrigerate.
31. Renew a loofah. Soak your loofah in equal parts vinegar and water for 24 hours to dissolve soap residue, then rinse in cold water.
32. Remove wax. If you get melted candle wax on your wood furniture or floors, gently wipe it away with a cloth soaked in a solution of equal parts white vinegar and water.
33. Take a relaxing bath. Add ½ cup of vinegar to warm bath water for a cheap spa session at home. The vinegar removes dead skin, leaving you feeling soft and smooth.
34. Brighten your hair. Remove hair product buildup by rinsing a tablespoon of vinegar through your hair once a month.
35. Freshen fabrics. Fill a spray bottle with white vinegar and spritz your home to neutralize odors in fabrics, carpets, shoes or any sprayable surface.
36. Erase crayon. If your kids get crayon marks on the walls or floor, dip a toothbrush in white vinegar and gently scrub. The vinegar breaks down the wax, making for an inexpensive, nontoxic way to clean up after children.
37. Sticky stickers. Don’t scratch at the residue left by stickers or price tags. Instead, apply vinegar to the gunk, let it sit for a few minutes, then wipe the glue away.
38. Clean the dishwasher and coffee pot. Reduce soap buildup and food residue by pouring a cup of vinegar into your empty dishwasher or coffee pot once a month and letting it run a full cycle.
39. Sanitize pet accidents. You can remove the stain―and smell―of your pet’s accident by mixing ¼ cup vinegar with a quart of water and blotting the mixture onto the mess with a washcloth. Continue dabbing until the spot is gone.
40. Prep for summer grilling. To remove charcoal buildup from your grill, spray white distilled vinegar on balled up aluminum foil and scrub the grate thoroughly.
41. Restore shower head pressure. If your shower head gets clogged with mineral deposits, soak it for 15 minutes in a mixture of ½ cup vinegar and 1 quart water.
42. Clean your scissors. When your scissor blades get sticky, wipe them down with a cloth dipped in full-strength white vinegar. Unlike soap and water, vinegar won’t ruin the blades or rust the metal.
43. Unclog drains. For a natural, nontoxic way to clean clogged pipes, pour one cup of baking soda, followed by one cup of white vinegar, down the drain. Let the products bubble and foam, then flush the pipes with a pot of boiling water.
44. Eliminate dandruff. If your scalp is feeling dry or flaky, vinegar can be a simple at-home remedy. Once a week, pour one cup of apple cider vinegar over your scalp, and let it sit for 15 minutes. Rinse thoroughly with cool water.
45. Soften your feet. Summer sandals leaving you with cracked heals and calluses? Soak your feet for 20 minutes a day in one part vinegar to two parts warm water. The vinegar removes dead skin, leaving your feet soft and smooth.

Saturday, September 10, 2011

Have A Glorious Weekend

I love this idea of an outdoor theatre, the cushions are fabulous, it looks so cosy  xx A

Ladies

Spring is here and our weather has been fantastic this week, it feels as though we have hardly had any winter at all, not to say i am not glad about that xx Anyway, I hope you  all have a glorious weekend, eat, drink and be merry wherever you are in the world .

Here are some gorgeous Spring things to browse through xx A

Some simple Wedding Rings

A beautiful Spring porch

Some of Ali's gorgeous creativity

Beautiful People

Pineapple and kiwi ice poles..... yum!

looks do count - Body Image


Hello gorgeous ladies,

Do looks count?

I am writing this post today because it has become apparent to me, regardless of how much I try not to believe, that the latter is true.......Looks do count.

A client came in to the Salon yesterday and during  a conversation with him we both came to realise that he had just employed a previous employee of mine. The Girl in question was squeaky clean looking, very pretty, outgoing, polite etc..... everything a employee looks for in the Beauty industry. But on the other hand, after working with us we found her to be unreliable, not at all punctual, self absorbed and not very loyal. to cut a long story short she left us and has moved on to four or five other jobs in the past year.......Back to the client, he employed her obviously going by everything on the outside rather than past resumes. (she does present herself very well.)

So that answers my question......... looks do count!


Who says you can't judge a book by its cover? Why not be as superficial as possible? Why not trust first impressions? We all do it, and sometimes we're actually correct in doing so.
A study released several weeks ago noted women can look at a photograph of a man's face and assess with high accuracy whether he's the kind of guy who likes children, and thus shows good potential as a long-term mate. Conversely, the females identified correctly the men who had the highest testosterone levels and most suitability for a short-term fling (i.e. someone who won't tolerate nagging over changing diapers, chauffeuring the kids, doing household chores, keeping beer stains off the furniture, etc.).
University of Chicago researcher Dario Maestripieri, a co-author of the study, guessed that the women judged men with "a more rounded face, a gentler face" to be those most favorably inclined toward children. Another researcher suggested the men who liked children seemed to have a happier expression on their face when photographed, and women must have picked up on that.
Of course, the men showing a fondness for children may never have actually been around them. Once properly exposed, they may hate the brats, and in fact become foul-tempered, depressed louts from whom the children cower. But that would take a longitudinal study to determine, which we don't have time for.




Girly-men look good



Back in 1998, Scottish psychologists concluded women tended to prefer the faces of men with more feminine features because they were perceived as gentler, trustworthy types who would be loyal mates and good fathers. In fact, men as well as women had more favorable opinions of those with more feminine features. It's a long-term trend, apparently.
"If you look at the evolutionary record, we've moved from a more robust form to a more graceful form as a species" in overall features, said Scottish researcher Ian Penton-Voak. We're too illiterate to know the word "gracile," but we think it means someone who looks more like Leonardo DiCaprio than, say, one of the hillbillies in "Deliverance."




Shallow little people
It's never too early to begin showing bias toward attractive people, and prejudice against those among us who are not. Infants, in fact, lead the way.
University of Texas professor Dr. Judith H. Langlois wrote of how babies spend more time looking at attractive than unattractive faces, if they're given a pair of images to look at side by side. When able to play with a woman wearing either an attractive or unattractive life-like mask, babies focused far more on the prettier choice. Newborns, it seems, are just as shallow as anyone who ever watched "The Man Show."
Dr. Langlois was also among the researchers who concluded years ago that nothing is better than looking average. Computer technology has demonstrated that composites of various faces are typically viewed as more attractive than individual photos of any of the subjects themselves.
"Despite the old adage 'never judge a book by its cover' and despite the prevailing belief that attractiveness does not matter once we know a person, even parents judge and treat their own children differently based on attractiveness, although they are not aware of it," Dr. Langlois wrote.




Vive le difference?
Does anyone doubt that men care more about their partners' looks than do women? Author David Buss, in "The Evolution of Desire," found proof for the assumption in surveys done repeatedly of the two genders worldwide. On a scale of 0.00 to 3.00, men tend to rate the importance of looks as about 0.5 more important than do women.
"Regardless of the location, habitat, marriage system or cultural living arrangement, men in all 37 cultures ... value physical appearance in choosing a mate more than women," Mr. Buss wrote. Back in the day, as they say, men wanted youthful-looking wives who gave the appearance of being able to pump out babies at a high rate. Modern studies have shown, according to Mr. Buss, that men acquire social status by having an attractive mate, although women with handsome husbands don't reap the same benefit.
"People suspect that a homely man must have a high status if he can interest a stunning woman," Mr. Buss says.




Pretty as a picture

Of course, this is the kind of knowledge from which Hugh Hefner and other publishers have profited for decades, without any researcher needing to tell them anything.

Amen xx A

Wednesday, September 7, 2011

Photo of the Day!

the return of the mona lisa after the war (paris, 1945)

The Mommy Diaries - I am sure exercise is just a fashion!

Hello again ladies

As a mum, I find it so hard to find time to exercise, do you? If I do, it means I need to get up before its light and then what to do? sadly, I don't even like exercise, I can summon up enough energy to do half hour if I have my most fabulous possession (my ipod) blaring me into the unknown.
Truth is I live  right next to the ocean, which IS where I love to walk, but unless I go in the middle of the night, there is no chance......... anyway my theory is that exercise is just a fashion, I am sure it all started with Jane Fonda because since when did you see Marilyn Monroe, Elizabeth Taylor or any other Hollywood legends jogging down the street.


So I have googled and googled and come to realise that you don't have to join a gym to burn calories. Great workouts are all around you — in your home, at your desk or just outside your front door. And while everyday activities might not seem like much, over the course of a day, the number of calories you burn can really add up. Check out some of these "chores" to see how you can burn up to 150 calories as you go about your everyday stuff.


1. Gardening
Pulling weeds, digging holes, spreading mulch or grass seed — all these activities burn a significant number of calories. In just 15 minutes, you could burn as many as 75 to 100 calories while enjoying the fresh air — and crossing off one of your chores at the same time.


2. Housework
Don't think of it as more chores; see it as a chance to stay fit. Vacuuming burns plenty of calories, but add in mopping the floors, dusting and changing the sheets, and you can burn up to 50 calories in just 15 minutes!


3. Mowing
Why pay someone to cut the grass when you can do it yourself? Add as much as $30 to your weekly budget and trim your figure as you trim your lawn. Stay off that riding mower and burn 50 to 100 calories.


4. Climbing stairs
Do a load of laundry, take it upstairs. Come back down, pick up the bedroom linens, head back up — you get the idea. The more weight you carry up, the more calories you burn — as many as 100 calories in 15 minutes.


5. Shopping If you're heading to the mall, add an indoor lap before you do your shopping and after you've found what you're looking for. And forget that close spot — park in the distance to add steps to your tally.


6. Make your desk work count
Don't just sit at your desk — get active! Try leg lifts under your desk or hold your tummy in for a count of 10, firming muscles with isometrics. Press your palms flat down on your desk and release to strengthen your biceps.



So what do you think girls? I think we could do this don't you? after all as soon as summer gets here its time to expose those legs and arms again.........yay!! have a great day xx A

Women - Friendship

Good Morning Beautiful Ladies, This poem was emailed to me the other day by a dear friend, I thought it was beautiful so I decided to share with all of you. The painting I love also but have wildly been trying to find out who the artist is but haven't had any luck. I am going to print a copy of this poem off for a friend of mine who sadly lost her dad on fathers day this last weekend.

Anyway Girls have a fabulous day xx A



One Flaw In Women

Women have strengths that amaze men....

They bear hardships and they carry burdens,

but they hold happiness, love and joy.

They smile when they want to scream.

They sing when they want to cry.

They cry when they are happy

and laugh when they are nervous.

They fight for what they believe in..

They stand up to injustice.

They don't take "no" for an answer

when they believe there is a better solution.

They go without so their family can have.

They go to the doctor with a frightened friend.

They love unconditionally.

They cry when their children excel

and cheer when their friends get awards.

They are happy when they hear about

a birth or a wedding.

Their hearts break when a friend dies.

They grieve at the loss of a family member,

yet they are strong when they

think there is no strength left.

They know that a hug and a kiss

can heal a broken heart.

Women come in all shapes, sizes and colours.

They'll drive, fly, walk, run or e-mail you

to show how much they care about you.

The heart of a woman is what

makes the world keep turning.

They bring joy, hope and love.

They have compassion and ideas.

They give moral support to their

family and friends.

Women have vital things to say

and everything to give..

HOWEVER, IF THERE IS ONE FLAW IN WOMEN,


IT IS THAT THEY FORGET THEIR WORTH.

Quote of the Day!


words to live by quotes

Wednesday, August 10, 2011

Video of the Day - My Blackberry is not working!

Hi Gorgeous girls
I was telling my client the other day about a quote I heard, "Life was so much easier when apples and blackberry's were just fruit" I was told to look up this skit by "The one Ronnie". It is very clever and pretty hilarious xx A

Oh and my English sense of humour is shining through xx

Motherhood - The Stress of running Late


Imogen and Samuel - ready for school!
 Hi at last ladies;
Finally this week i get to write a post, aaaaahhhhhh! My week has been hectic as usual, the house is still being painted and i am still frantically interviewing for staff............ finally I found the perfect angel today. Excuse any weird grammar mistakes (thank god for spell check) but after trialling her today my nails are now far too long.


I have ran late every day this week, it is becoming a serious problem, and I am never late. Its this whole getting to school by 8.30 thing, its so inconvenient ha ha x And it doesn't seem to be me, its everyone else in the house.
Do you have one or more children in your home that seems to repeatedly run late? 
Perhaps they run around looking for their shoes, jumper or homework? 
Maybe forgetting where they placed their school back pack the afternoon before. 
Does it raise the stress level for your entire family? It sure does in our house. I read somewhere once that a woman's stress level peaks at around 8am (I wonder why?)
It isn’t a very good way to start your day, is it? 
Think of this…..Do you run late?  Do you often forget where your keys are? (always)  How about finding your purse or shopping list?  Do you see the correlation?  Maybe not if in fact you are a mum who is pretty organized and then it frustrates you even more that you have a child that seems to be in disarray!
If running late is a key component to your mornings it is time for a change.
I know we can get our children to gain tremendous pride in their accomplishment of being prepared for their day and getting out the door on time in the morning, its just putting it to practice)  You have heard it time and time again; learning by example will get someone much further than just being told what to do.
I find that some  mums I work with find it just plain easier to continue yelling 3 or more times trying to address the issue rather than changing their response.  Why do we fall into those habits?  Because – it is easier to stay the same than change.  Face it, we are creatures of habit, and yet even when a pattern of behavior is NOT producing what we want, we seldom see another method to reach the outcome we desire.  So stop and think about how your morning runs and how you could in fact be enabling your child to continue their pattern of running late and being forgetful.
You know helping our children develop new habits starts with us.  Plain and simple.   As we venture into the middle of the school year, and Spring, it is the perfect time to develop some new habits, both for our children and us!  I have found some obvious points that can help our children, but it doesn’t take a lot of thinking to see how we can adapt these simple tools into our lives too.
Being Prepared (my "always" intention)
What can you do in advance to make things easier?  Thinking ahead can certainly help make a difference and calm things down.  Does your child have an activity the next day?  Is his/her backpack placed in a spot where it is accustomed to being?  You can even lay clothes out for the next day if that is a battle that ends up producing anxiety for anyone! I always have good intentions of doing this but all of a sudden run out of energy around dinner time......... every day he he x
Remembering Tasks
I started using check lists when my kids were very young.  These are all items that need to be accomplished by a certain time, normally before leaving in the morning. (making their bed, teeth brushed, pajamas put away, etc.). This helped me out because I didn’t have to be the drill sergeant and it also gave my child a great sense of pride as he/she accomplished these tasks on their own!  In addition, once the checklist was finished they can spend the remaining time before leaving doing an activity they enjoy.  I find too many parents let their kids watch TV or play video games before the work is done and then wonder why it is such a battle.  Work before play is a standard principle in our home.
Decide what type of system is going to work for you and your child.
Work on it together and brainstorm about what will help them.  You may be surprised at what they come up with.
Staying on Task
This one can be completely aggravating for many parents – because you have a dilly dallier!  You know, the one who looks up from one task and is completely distracted by something else. (me for sure)  We have used different things at different times, but a few that work well are using a kitchen timer to keep a child on task, having a one task at a time policy – where they cannot move on from one thing until one is completed.  Also having them check in with you during their progress is helpful too.
Listening
Truly making sure your child hears you and understands the instruction can be half of the frustration.  So, have your child repeat back instructions and then verify he understands.  We also found giving too many instructions at once was not a good combination.  Give one task at a time and wait until that is completed.
Set a Schedule
We set up a schedule for Imogen that has helped her use her time better in the mornings.  She knows what time to get up, what time she had to start eating breakfast, cleaning up, getting dressed, all of that.  We have tried to spell it out for her
Celebrate
If getting out the door in the morning has been a thorn in your side, sit everyone down and discuss how different the mornings are when things go smoothly.  How much happier everyone is, how enjoyable the ride to school is.  Then think together what you could in fact do on the days that everyone cooperates and takes care of their own business to help the family out.  Have a special after school treat – it doesn’t have to be big, just something little, like a certain favorite cookie or ice cream, or playing a game together or maybe this – you do one of your child’s chores that afternoon since they helped you out?
Get creative, you can have fun finding ways to motivate you child to step up to the plate and be more responsible.

Now the funny thing is, we all know these things are the things we should do, but do we? I am always falling off the wagon after a good weeks work, but definitely if things run smoother its worth a try for sure, anyway better get on with some stuff instead of getting sidetracked blogging. xx A

Wednesday, August 3, 2011

Quote Of The Day

Ha ha ha xx A

The Mommy Diaries - Date Nights

Hello my Gorgeous girls,

Do you ever take part in scheduled date nights?


Romance......
Does it really exist? I often hear people/my clients/my friends, talking about date nights. It is sad that we have to schedule time nowadays to spend with our partners, but obviously in this day and age it is the way to go. I thought I would do some research, so I typed it in to google and I don't know if it is just me but I was surprised at the amount of sites there were suggesting ideas for a "fabulous date" with your partner.I think I am going to try it....... I will give it to my hubby on fathers day, so I had better start working on it now.
In any serious relationship between a man and a woman, love and romance always comes into the picture like two peas in a pod. Most people always associate love with romance or the other way around. But can love exist without romance or can romance exist without love?So when love and romance is brought into a relationship, it blends into a long lasting and excitingly intense dreamy feeling of attraction directed to another person without limits.romance is then a must in any relationship to keep it alive. 

I saw an idea (a fabulous idea) where a basket was put together holding 12 envelopes.  Each envelope is labeled with a month of the year. Each envelope then contains a pre-planned, (mostly) pre-paid date for me and my hubby, what a fantastic gift!  Some of the dates will take place at home, some are planned for locally, and some will take us further.  All 12 dates will be different. Some of them will be things  we have never done before, but always wanted to.
The plan is to open the envelope together at the beginning of the month, look at the calendar and decide on a date.  So right from the beginning of the month, we'll have a fun date to look forward to.
Here are some ideas I am thinking of adding to the basket:
Free Concerts Check your local paper or its website for upcoming free concerts. For shows in the park, pack a picnic basket and blanket so you can dance and dine in the same place.
Camping Roughing it can be fun…and c’mon, it’s only 48 hours. Pack a sleeping bag for two, graham crackers, marshmallows, and chocolate for s’mores, and get out of town for the weekend. Give the BlackBerry some well-deserved time off!
Day Spa Treat yourselves to a day of double relaxation. You can book almost any spa treatment together (hello, hot stone massage!). Want a recession-proof spa day? Here’s how to get a steamy massage going at home.
Movie Night Rent a movie, make some popcorn and get cosy on the couch with a blanket and a bottle of wine
Picnic Pick a beautiful Day, pack a picnic and chill on a blanket, just taking in nature and the scenery.
Movies Indoor or outdoor, take a night out at the movies, maybe with dinner included at a favourite restaurant.
Dinner at home Pick up the ingredients you need to create a fabulous meal at the grocery store and then return home and cook it together.

Sunset Pack some cheese, crackers, and grapes and your favorite old quilt and have a picnic on the lawn, sit on the roof and watch the sunset together.

These are just some ideas I have come up with but I need more if I am to do the twelve months of the year....... I am working on it xx A

Three of the Best! - Books I have read this year!

Hello Ladies,


Three of the best this week is a review on the three best books I have read this year. I love to read. and I love to read anything, probably why I enjoy reading peoples blogs so much. These three books are totally different in every way, but I loved every one of them tremendously. I hope by showing you all these books, you will also give one of them a go. xx A



Life By Keith Richards
For legions of Rolling Stones fans, Keith Richards is not only the heart and soul of the world’s greatest rock ’n’ roll band, he’s also the very avatar of rebellion: the desperado, the buccaneer, the poète maudit, the soul survivor and main offender, the torn and frayed outlaw, and the coolest dude on the planet, named both No. 1 on the rock stars most-likely-to-die list and the one life form (besides the cockroach) capable of surviving nuclear war. This book brought out the ultimate groupie in me, I think if I lived a different type of life in a different era, I would have so definitely been a groupie.
After giving us an idea of his post world war two upbringing in the little town of Dartford  in a very modest family Keith talks about the inevitable consequences of fame, the nearly complete loss of privacy and the weirdness of being turned into a folk hero by fans.
“I can’t untie the threads of how much I played up to the part that was written for me,” he says. “I mean the skull ring and the broken tooth and the kohl. Is it half and half? I think in a way your persona, your image, as it used to be known, is like a ball and chain. People think I’m still a goddamn junkie. It’s 30 years since I gave up the dope! Image is like a long shadow. Even when the sun goes down, you can see it.”I loved this memoir because of its honest way of writing (he pulls no punches). He’s decided that he’s going to tell it as he remembers it, and helped along with notebooks, letters and a diary he once kept, he remembers almost everything. He gives us a sort of time-capsule feel for the madness that was life on the road with the Stones in the years before and after Altamont; Accounts of his many close shaves and narrow escapes (from the police, prison time, drug hell); and a heap of sharp-edged photographs of friends and colleagues — most notably, his longtime musical partner Mick Jagger
Life is way more than a revealing showbiz memoir. It is also a fabulous portrait of the era when rock ’n’ roll came of age, a raw report of how music swept like a tsunami over Britain and the United States in the 60's and 70's. Of course die-hard Stones fans, will have detailed discussions of how songs like “Ruby Tuesday” and “Gimme Shelter” came to be written.
But the book will also dazzle the person who thought they had only a casual interest in the Stones or who thought of  Keith Richards as just a rock god who was mad, bad and dangerous to know, and later in the book they will know the rock star, who actually remains something of a shy romantic with women, worrying about finding “the right line, or one that hadn’t been used before.”


A Pressure Cooker Saved My Life By Juanita Philips



Juanita Phillips thought she could juggle the perfect life - career, kids, beautiful house - but, as she reveals in the book, something had to give. 
Once, when Julia Gillard was merely regarding the glass ceiling, not breaking it, she questioned whether a mother could become prime minister. Gillard's casual remark sparked controversy among readers of The Bulletin back in 2008 but did not surprise the journalist who reported it.
With the benefit of maternal hindsight, Juanita Phillips, the female face of ABC's national news, readily accepts that motherhood and political ambitions might be mutually exclusive in such a demanding role.
Something had to give in her life, and ultimately for her it was the home with the water views, her health and the career of her husband, Mario Milostic, as Phillips assumed the traditional patriarchal role of breadwinner and Milostic that of full-time carer.
Late to marriage and motherhood, Juanita, like many of us, had wanted her cake and to eat it, too. But two children, a public profile and career, and a large mortgage had proved an impossible juggling act and convinced her women could not have it all.

But no one could have predicted that Juanita Phillips, this female trailblazer of television news, would retreat to the nostalgic world of '50s domestic homemaker to help recalibrate her modern family life.
" A Pressure Cooker Saved My Life", was the result and chronicles her inner conflict, guilt and the emotional meltdowns of her attempt to "have it all, do it all and keep it all together".
Of course, Juanita admits something as simple as an op shop-bought kitchen utensil can't achieve a  state of domestic bliss and career satisfaction that has escaped 40 years of feminist agitation.
But nor does this part-journal, part-cookbook speak of the '70s feminist crusader. It's not angry, it's not political. It peeps over the white picket fence for inspiration. Juanita Phillips returns in memory to her childhood years, those long hot summers growing up in Sydney and then Brisbane, and discovers it has a commodity she now craves: predictability, tranquility and home as a peaceful refuge.
"Everybody has to feed their kids," she says, "even feminists.".
"Yes, it is possible to have it all – just not all at the same time, Phillips concludes. "If you try to have it all at the same time, you'll pay a high price. Whether you think it's worth the price – well, that's your decision and yours alone


A Pressure Cooker Saved My Life


The Secret By Rhonda Byrne


The Secret is a best-selling 2006 self-help book written by Rhonda Byrne, based on the self-help film of the same title. The film was released before the book in DVD format in 2006. The idea of this book is that the universe is governed by a natural law called the law of attraction. The law of attraction is said to work by attracting into a person’s life experiences, situations, events, and people that ‘match’ the frequency of the person’s thoughts and feelings. Therefore, positive thinking and feeling positive can create life-changing results such as increased wealth, health, and happiness. After being featured in two episodes of Oprah, the book reached the top of the New York Times best-seller list, where it remained for 146 consecutive weeks. It continues to frequently appear in the top ten and extended New York Times bestseller list. 




This book was a fabulous read, but on that note I did find myself absently obsessing over my thoughts. You become quite obsessed with all your thought becoming positive, but it also makes you aware of all the negative thoughts you have every day x


Secret

Oh and by the way I recommend Life by Keith Richards xx A