Christmas Wishlist: Online Stores
Most of my Christmas shopping was done online this year. The thought of braving the shops was daunting to me, to say the least. I’ve had a lot of people ask me about my favourite online shops so I’ve put together a list and some gift ideas. Hope it helps all those busy Mums out there scared about battling the shops. 
C2M have put together a fabulous list of Christmas gift ideas. Many of the businesses featured are run by women and mothers (love that).
Deals Direct have a wide range of Christmas gifts available; from tradition gifts to novel ideas.
Ezi Buy has great gifts to suit all budgets. I take comfort in knowing I can return anything I’m unsure about.
The name says it all. Find all sorts of gifts for men here.
This gorgeous Mum makes the most beautiful hair accessories for children (and adults). The quality is far better than what you can buy in the shops and cheaper too. Every year I buy my girls a new outfit at Christmastime. I’ve added to this a customised hair accessory that matches perfectly. They are going to look so cute!
I love the concept of this online store. Trifle represents over 60 designers under one banner. It’s like shopping in a mall without leaving your house. Browse through the variety.
Unique Kids has great quality gift ideas. Many of the products have an educational focus.
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Look at my Christmas cards! Carmen, from Ink Pink Designs, put together this gorgeous collage; capturing our family essence. Click on the Ink Pink link above to browse through their beautiful designs to create your own unique cards.
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Below is a list of my top gift ideas.
Babies (0-2)
Squeak and Peek Photobook ($29.95)
Buy from: Total Learning
Young girls (2-4)
Magnetic Dress Up Princess ($26.95)
Buy from: Unique Kids
Young boys (2-4)
ABC Block Wagon ($34.95)
Buy from: The Toy Bug
Girls (5-8)
Customised Hair Clip Holder (From $10.00)
and Pretty Clips (From $1.00)
Buy from: Pretty Things Distract Me
Boys (5-8)
Walkie Talkie ($14.99)
Buy from: Dick Smith
Tween Girls (9-12)
Cooking Kit ($20.95)
Buy from: Belluca Australia
Tween Boys (9-12)
Rechargeable Torch (never needs batteries) ($19.95)
Buy from: Deals Direct
Teen girls (13-16)
PBA Free Drink Bottle (various designs 500ml) ($17.95)
Buy from: Pure Earth Noosa
Teen boys (13-16)
Keyring Swiss Army knife ($26.95)
Buy from: My Swiss Army Knife
Women
Make-up Organiser ($70.00)
Buy from: Ezi Buy
Men
Charging Station ($29.95)
Buy from: Deals Direct
There’s More Than One Way to Tell A Story
It’s fun to deviate from the usual story telling method. If you want to mix it up a little, here are some ideas.
In the car
Been out late with the child/ren? Instead of missing story time tell them on the way home in the car.
Object or toy inspired
Ask your child to bring you a toy or object and be inspired to make up a story.
Draw a story
As you tell your child a story, draw it out on a piece of paper. It doesn’t matter if you can’t draw; your child won’t care. Another idea is to ask your child to draw a picture and use it as inspiration.
Role Reversal
Have you ever asked your child to tell you a story instead if the other way around? It’s surprising what they come up with. You may need to do some prompting but it is a worthwhile activity on many levels.
Tickle story
Grab a tub of moisturising cream and ask your child to draw a picture on your back to guess. Take turns.
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Be creative with your story telling; your child/ren will love it.
Christmas Mobile Craft
This Christmas mobile is a cheap and easy Christmas craft.
Materials
Wooden hanger child size
Nylon knitting ribbon (white and red)
Green wool (I used crimple wood for a bit of visual texture)
Star Template (click for PDF File)
Crayons (or pencils)
Glue
Glitter
Laminator (optional)
Instructions
1. Wind the red ribbon around the coat hanger until all covered. Tie a knot at the end to secure.
2. Wind the white ribbon around the coat hanger allowing the red to show through in a thick swirl. Tie a knot at the end to secure.
3. Cut four lengths of the wool and attach, evenly spaced, to the coat hanger.
4. On the wrong side of the star template, use crayons or pencils to cover the entire page. On the other side, use a little glue and cover with glitter.
5. Laminate stars (if desired) and cut out around the black guide line.
6. Punch a hole in the top of the stars and attach to the bottom of the green wool.
7. Hang.
The Design Process
I did well in Home Economics at school. My success was not due to my technical ability (I don’t even sew buttons well) but because I was able to explore the steps involved to achieve the final product. This is called the design process. I decided to teach my children this process while making some Christmas clothes for their teddies.
The Basic Design Process
Have a goal – for us it was to make cute Christmas outfits for teddies.
Research material types – this was easy – Christmassy.
Draw Design - My girls spend about 30 min designing and re-designing the outfits.
Pattern Making – I really used guess work here.
Make – Putting it all together.
My girls were engrossed in the activity and were excited to see their drawings come to life. It’s worthwhile teaching a child the processes behind the things we often take for granted. How does milk get into the supermarket fridge? Where does our meat come from? Who makes the clothes in the shops? The design process can be explored to answer these and many other questions.
If you want to try this activity here are the steps you’ll need to follow:
Materials
Fabric - Most sewing shops have a min buy of 0.4 metres which is plenty or raid the remnants bin.
Sewing machine - I used a glue gun for this activity
Paper – for pattern making
Note: To download my fashion templates click on the link. This will take you to another page and then click again for the PDF file.
Steps:
1. Plan your goal.
2. SHOP!
3. Print out the fashion template and get your child to draw their design. Talk to your child about shapes, necklines and lengths. These are the designs we came up with.
4. Trace out a rough pattern on a piece of paper. Believe me, I’m not a sewer or a pattern maker and my design was very rough but it gave the children an idea of the steps involved.
5. Cut out your pattern and trace it on the wrong side of the fabric.
6. Cut out the material and sew (or glue) together.
7. Pray that it fits your child’s toy. It’s easy to start again if you have to.
They girls were thrilled with the final product. *phew*
If you don’t feel like doing all the steps above, your child can just draw dresses on the template. Here is Miss Flossie’s collection (8).
Romping in a Riotous Rumpus
Books, books, books; I love books! Saturday gone saw me and my childers romping in a riotous rumpus, all in the name of books! Cradle Fables hosted a wonderful morning tea for children, inspired by the much loved book, Where the Wild Things Are by Maurice Sendak. The morning had the feel of a good old fashioned Sunday school picnic filled with games, craft, food and, of course, a story reading.
My passion for children’s books has led me to get behind this exciting new publisher. Cradle Fables Publishing is focused on imaginative picture books especially for children under 5 years of age. You can read Kirsty Stewart’s inspiring story about the birth of Cradle Fables here. So get behind this woman whose passion for children and books combined will, I’m sure, bring many treasured tales to life.
Support Cradle Fables: Dig Deep and Get Messy for Children’s Literature - I am.
Other posts about books:
You might also like to check out these blog posts on the Rumpus:
North and South Period Hair Style and Makeup
HAIR
I recently stayed up far too late to watch my favourite period drama, North and South (BBC). This tutorial was inspired by Margaret Hale’s hair style played by Daniela Denby-Ashe.
Hair Tutorial
Bobby Pins
Tiny Hair Bands
Hair Decoration
The flower used in my hair was purchased from Lindcraft for about $3. If you want to go for a more traditional look
use a hair slide like this one (pictured).
MAKE-UP
I kept the make-up for this look modern yet soft.
Make-up Tutorial
Face – Youngblood Natural Mineral Foundation (neutral)
Cheeks – MAC Bronzing Powder (refined golden)
Concealer – MAC Studio Sculpt Concealer (NW25)
Eye Lid – Youngblood Pressed Mineral Eyeshadow Quad Gemstones (Cashmere)
Eye Crease – Youngblood Pressed Mineral Eyeshadow Quad Gemstones (Alabaster)
Eye Line – Youngblood Pressed Mineral Eyeshadow Quad Gemstones (Irish Moss)
Eye lashes – Avon Shock Mascara (Black)
Lips – Revlon Super Lustrous Lipstick (Ginger Rose)
Brushes
Concealer – MAC 194SE
Bronzer – MAC 187SE
Foundation - MAC 182SE
Eye Shadow – MAC 275SE
Eye Line – MAC 212SE
NOTE: If you are wanting to buy MAC brushes, wait until they have sets for sale. It’s a lot cheaper than buying them seperately.
Sometimes it’s okay to live in the past.
See my Gwyneth Paltrow inspired Emma tutorial here.
The Magic of a Book
There’s something magical about a book. A book can take you to places you’ve only ever dreamed of. I was reminded of this when I read my son’s favourite book, DK Mighty Machines. We turned to his favourite page, the one with the helicopter, when he asked for a kiss. Well, I don’t need to be asked twice so I gave him a kiss. Then, would you believe it, he proceeded to try and get inside the helicopter by putting his head into the book. I LOVED IT! It made me smile; it made me laugh; it made me remember the wonder of a book and that’s the magic.
My husband was laughing as he snapped these pictures (below) of when I was reading a story to my two youngest. I know I look funny, but children love it when you read with a lot of expression. Mem Fox has wonderful tips of reading to children on her website. I’ve touched on the importance of reading to children in this post.
HAVE FUN READING TO YOUR CHILD/REN!
NOTE: If you’re interested in buying Mighty Machines from DK, you will only be able to purchase it from Total Learning. Contact me for more details.
Discipline
Discipline is a tricky subject. I’ve given much thought to this matter and am going to try and get it down on paper, well, on virtual paper.
There is much debate on different forms of discipline. For me, it’s not so much about the form of discipline used but rather on the attitude behind the instruction. I believe there is a distinct difference between discipline and punishment. Punishment is the result of breaking rules; discipline is long term training and instruction. Anyone can impose punishment resulting in little personal cost. If laws or rules are broken punishment is imposed on children in schools and adults in society alike. Discipline, on the other hand, is ongoing training that comes with great cost to the disciplinarian. Discipline is all about love.
It’s easy to fall into the trap of punishing your child and not disciplining them; I’ve done it myself. There’s a place for punishment but not in the home environment. Rather, I like to call the act of discipline, consequence for actions. Punishment tends to be an oppressive thing; the act of conforming a person to fit a certain mould. On the other hand, discipline is when you stretch out your hand to guide, but not steer, another along Life’s journey. Discipline is all about encouraging self-control.
Punishment is useless unless lessons are learned. To give a child the skill of self-control is priceless. This skill is learned through discipline as children understand choices and grow from the mistakes they make. A discipleship can only truly be effective if there is trust. Discipline is all about trust.
My children trust me; this frightens me. I’m responsible for raising my children to the best of my ability (with God’s help) but I make so many mistakes; so, so many mistakes. When I struggle to communicate to my children the reasons for a decision, I often ask this question: Do you trust me? The answer is always, yes. Sometimes a child cannot understand a decision. An established relationship breeds trust and trust promotes obedience. Discipline is all about teaching obedience.
I recently read an article on the Connect2Mums website titled: Obedience – Should our children obey their parents? by Carol Disseldorp. While I don’t agree with this principal, I found the article thought provoking. In summary, Carol asserts that children have the choice to refuse to do certain things their parents ask of them. The reasons why I don’t agree with this are many, but I will list a few. Firstly, if discipline is effective, then a parent will not ask something of a child that is not necessary and in turn, the child will trust the parent’s choice (but not always like it). I have to interject here and say that I have made many mistakes about what I have asked of my children, and I have learned from those mistakes. It makes my role of parenting challenging because the buck stops with me. On the other hand, it’s my children’s job to respect and obey what I ask. Secondly, I need my children to obey me for safety reasons. I need to know if I say STOP, my child will stop. Further, because I have four children, I expect obedience so the family functions. For example, when we get out of the car at the shops, our rule is the children lean against the side of our car as I get the baby out. It would be difficult for me, and unsafe for my children, if they choose to disregard our family rules. Lastly, I teach obedience because the Bible does, read here. The Bible is full of life changing principals for living. To avoid being legalistic, which can lead to a suppression, two-way communication is imperative. Obedience is all about listening.
A child needs to feel like they have a voice; that someone is really listening and understands them. I often remind myself to hear my children’s voice. I encourage my children to express their feelings and I try always to take that into account when I’m making a decision. My original choices are often (but not always) changed after listening to my children. It’s a tricky balance, especially as children mature. The idea is when children are very young, the discipline falls entirely on the parent’s shoulders. Over time, this gradually changes until the child is an adult and must use self-discipline. Disclipline is a journey.
What I’m not a fan of
NOTE: I have to clarify this section. I don’t want to come across as someone who knows all the answers. Far out! I’ve made millions of mistakes. I guess I want to share what I have learnt, am learning and my opinion on discipline.
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Counting: “Come here!” “Mummy is going to count. One, two, two, two…… three.” Children are amazingly aware of how far they can push the two.
What I do: I say, ”Come” once and then again as a reminder. If my child still does not come I go and get them. Then there is a consequence for the disobedience. For my young child, it means being strapped into the stroller instead of the freedom of walking.
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White lies: It’s SOOOO easy to tell white lies to your child. The most common I’ve heard comes about when parents need to leave somewhere and the child does not. It tends to go like this: “BYE! Mummy is going now. You’ll be left behind.” Now, personally, I don’t know any parent who would actually leave their child. I actually think it’s unkind to instill this fear in a child. They should know that you would NEVER leave them. I know a lot of parents do this without thinking; however, I think it can do a lot of damage if it’s used as a constant threat.
What I do: If my child refuses to leave, I go and get them. For my younger children it means a consequence for their action. For my older children I remind them to be glad that we were able to go out and how I love hearing them say, “Thanks Mum,” instead of whinging. In fact, it’s a strategy our family use. When we leave somewhere they say, “Thanks for taking us out Mum and Dad.” They need to be reminded sometimes
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Escalating instruction: Now this is a huge challenge to me. I catch myself often nagging until it escalates to yelling. “Do this….. Do this…. I SAID DO THIS!!!!!” Again, like the counting strategy, children can decipher your tone of voice and at what decibel you REALLY mean what you say.
What I do: I catch myself when I am using escalating instruction. It often means I don’t really have a clear idea of what should be done and when. So, I think about it and try and use clear instruction and follow through if it’s ignored.
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Giving in to tantrums: “Alright Johnny, you can have the lolly then.”
What I do: There have been many occasions when I’ve wanted the floor to swallow me. My children have a real knack of embarrassing me in the most inconvenient moments, and I admit to giving in, rarely though. However, I do try and be strong, even when I’m embarrassed. If I’m in a public place, I get out at the earliest opportunity.
What I’m a fan of
Consistency: Consistency, consistency, oh, and did I mention consistency? Consistency is one of the keys to effective discipline. So hard but so true.
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Reconciliation: After discipline is administered, there has to be reconciliation so there’s no underlying resentment. A hug and a kiss goes a long way.
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Reverse physiology: It may be weird to have this in the positives but we make a joke of things in our family (mostly because my husband has a warped sense of humour and I love it). If something goes wrong my husband says, “Okay, the right thing to do is fall on the ground, kick your legs and go AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!” The children laugh roll their eyes and say, “No DAD!”
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Positive words: It’s easy to voice negatives and forget to voice positives. I try and verbally encourage my children at every opportunity.
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Saying sorry: I can’t even tell you how many times I’ve had to apologise to my children (too many to count). Children need to know parents make mistakes too.
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Love: “Don’t discipline when you’re angry,” my Mum always told me. It’s a good idea to calm down a little so you can think clearly because discipline is all about love.
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Visually, my view on discipline would look a little like the image below.
If you only take only thing from this essay thingy, remember that discipline is all about Love and God is Love
This post was mentioned by SuperParents. Read the post here.
Christmas Story Games
I searched the net for a Christmas story memory game to do with my Sunday School class and couldn’t find one anywhere! So I made my own. If you want to do this game with your child/ren click the link below for the PDF File.
Christmas Story Games Print out
(click once and it will take you to the link then click again for the PDF file)
Play
Snap
Print a few of copies of the Christmas Story Games printout. Deal the pack of cards out evenly between players. Each player should place the cards face down in a pile in front of them. Players take turns putting a card down in the middle. As soon as a player puts down a corresponding card, whoever cries, “SNAP,” first, wins all the cards in the pack and adds them to their own pack. The winner is the one who has the most cards at the end of the game.
Memory
Place all cards face down on a flat surface. Turn two cards over at a time. If the cards match, the player keeps them. If the cards are different, they should be turned over again. The winner is the player who has the most cards at the end of the game. This can also be played alone.
Story Prompts
Tell the Christmas story to your child/ren using the cards in sequence. Then, ask your child to replicate the story.
Have fun!
Easy Elegant Hair-Do
Here is another very simple and elegant hair-do you may like to try.
Tutorial
Instruction
1. Pull hair back into a high pony tail.
2. Twist hair round into a bun.
3. Wrap a hair band around bun to secure.
4. Pull out bun from head to loosen.
5. Part hair in middle.
6. Twist bun inside part.
7. Add hair decoration.
8. Hair spray.
Materials
Hair Band
Hair Spray
Hair Decoration
