MiniTribe Blog

Billie Goat Baby Soap for Eczema

2010-02-25T23:16:00.003+11:00

It is heartbreaking to see little ones covered in eczema crying and scratching, parents searching for answers and willing to give anything a go. I am certainly no expert in the field of eczema but am happy to share some tips and provide a bit of info on why Billie Goat's milk. The Billie Baby range comprises of Cleansing Bars, Body Wash and Bath Soak. The range is amazingly gentle and soothing for precious little skin.

Both my babies have mild eczema and here is what we do to keep it from flaring up. I have used cortisone in the past but I will pretty much do everything l can to avoid it. Atilla's is directly linked to diet and allergies; food colouring, dairy, preservatives and msg flare up his eczema. He is on a low chemical diet as suggested by his dietician and pediatrician. Low chemical diet does NOT mean he needs to consume less of food that has added chemical. Even organic vegies can be high chemical so too much brocolli can flare up his ezcema. We don't know the cause of Lale's eczema but it is certainly worse at times of illness, teething or vaccination. So when her immune system is low her eczema really flares up. Here are some things that we do for Lale's eczema and to make her more comfortable:

Amber Teething Necklace to relieve teething pain and for healing (although she has this on all the time)
Extra breastfeeds for comfort, immunity and boost her system (if l eat well she gets all the benefits too)
Homeopathy recovery tonic (l swear by all of the Brauers Homeopathic Medicine)
Probiotics to protect the gut around time of vaccination (available in dairy free satchet packs or tablet form. Chew tablets or just mix satchet into water, breastmilk, formula, milk or juice)
Billie Baby Goat products (very soothing and balancing ensuring the skin does not dry out)
Organic Rosehip oil (fantastic for keeping sking moist and skin repair)
Vitamin E oil (great for skin and tissue repair, preventing scarring)

From the days of Cleopatra, milk has been used as a luxurious moisturiser. Goats milk contains proteins, amino acids and Vitamin A to nourish the skin. Goat's milk has a pH level that is close to our own skin's pH, making it very gentle on even the most sensitive skin types. Half of every soap bar is made from Virgin Olive Oil - leaving baby's skin feeling soft and moisturised.

All of the soap produced by Billie Goat Soap uses fresh goat’s milk. The goats are milked daily, following a strict hygiene regime. The milk is then frozen and used as the basis for the soap making process. The soap cures on shelves for an extended period allowing the saponification process to be completed and provides time for the bar to harden.

Him and Her

2010-02-18T23:26:00.004+11:00

He talks she listens, he asks her a question, she babbles and they laugh. They run off into his room to play either with her chasing him or him gently guiding her. She is learning to push the limits with him and mimic his reactions. He is so gentle and patient with her, always trying to show her, to teach her, to fulfill the role of her older brother even though he is only a baby himself. It must be hard being the oldest. I wouldn't know. Neither would Monsieur. Neither would Lale.

He gets frustrated with her always being in his face, always copying him, following him, always wanting to watch, to play with HIS toys, read HIS books. He snatches back his toys from her but then feels shame and guilt and hands her something else to play with alongside an apologetic pat on the head. Sometimes he has a little think and then lets her get away with things like snatching a toy away from him. He tells her to go away but constantly asks about her when she is not around. He tells me he doesn't like her sometimes but he still loves her. He always reserves her a piece of pretend food when we play pretend kitchens. He makes sure he doesn't drop any biscuit crumbs on the floor because she is anaphylactic and asks me if what she is eating has peanuts in it so she doesn't get sick. He puts his arm around her and gives her kisses on her head just because. He tells everyone Lale is his sister and that she is cute when we are out. He has a different love for her and a different set of special rules that apply to only her. She is very lucky to have him as her older brother.

She follows him everywhere. She checks all the rooms and pushes the blinds aside so she can squeeze behind them to catch a glimpse of him when she cannot see him. She will not sleep until he goes to bed. She brings him his shoes and his teddy 'Dizzie'. She doesn't have a very extensive vocabulary but she practises alot and then manages to blurt out his name. She does funny things to make him laugh. She falls asleep in the car whilst watching him. She cries after him when we drop him off at kinder. She disappears off to play in his room all the time. She drinks from his water bottle even though hers is right there. She sucks his dummy but refuses to have one herself. When he sits down to eat, she sits down with him and waits even if she is not hungry. She smiles and pats his head when he is sleeping. Her grin is from ear to ear when we all wake in the same bed and she sees him. If she doesn't see him first thing in the morning, she jumps out of bed to make her way off to his room to find him. She follows him to the toilet, gives him toilet paper and tries to help him wipe. She stands back watching and observing him, trying to figure out his ways and his rules. She is well aware of and respects his boundaries. He is very lucky to have her as his younger sister.

They are so lucky to have one another. And l so lucky to have them. I see them teaching each other so much about love and life each and everyday. They teach me alot too...

Amber Teething Necklaces

2010-01-19T00:47:00.000+11:00

These have been extremely popular and l know too well why. As l do with most of my products, l purchased the necklace for Lale who was showing signs of teething and after seeing the results for myself l then decided to stock them in the store. Atilla has borrowed the necklace in times of need as well. I will be recieving a new shipment of amber necklaces this week and l will also have some new styles.

Baby Lale with her butterscotch amber necklace and matching bracelet

Natural pain relief provided by Amber works by placing the necklace on your body, this allows your skin to warm the amber beads, releasing healing oils which are then absorbed into the blood stream. Only Baltic amber contains succinic acid, please beware of other sellers stating they sell "Baltic amber" yet the amber may be mined in China, Africa, Australia, India or Tibet this is Copal and does not contain the active ingredient - Succinic Acid.

Baby Lale with amber necklace and anklet. Love the look of the anklet.

The active ingredient is succinic acid which is fossilised resin produced by plants 40 – 50 million years ago. In nature the resin would have been used by the tree as a natural antibiotic against infection, viruses and physical attack. The tree would use the resin like a plaster or wound dressing. Now the resin has been fossilised, its healing properties have been captured in the resin which are release once the amber has been warmed. Nobel-prize winner Robert Koch (1886) was the pioneer of modern bacteriology proved that succinic acid has a very positive influence on the body.

Lollies featuring butterscotch amber necklace with broccoli and strawberry stained top

Each necklace is hand-crafted by Baltic amber specialists with generations of experience working with this unique and rare material. Every amber teething necklace features carefully polished and softly rounded Baltic amber beads, which unlike cheaper amber 'chips', lay comfortably against baby's skin. This allows maximum skin contact and gives added comfort to your child.

Long before l came across Amberbebe or knew about Baltic Amber, I had an amber anklet made up for Atilla at a local jewellery store specialising in crystals and stones. It was the worst $60 l ever spent. Not only did it have no theraupeutic benefit, but it actually cut into Atilla's ankle and he cried everytime l tried to put it on. It was bulky, ugly, useless and l got ripped off. So it took alot of research and reading before l was ready to part with my $40 for an Amberbebe teething necklace for Lale. Now l say "Best $40 ever spent".

Edamame Beans

2010-01-16T00:02:00.002+11:00

After searching high and low for stockists of Edamame beans, l finally found them!!! Where else other the little asian grocery store; Central Grocery located in Melbourne Central which l used to pass everyday on my way to and from work. I was so excited when the voice in the phone said "Yes, yes, we have soy bean." Monsieur picked me up 3 frozen bags on his way into work and l'm sure he looked after them like his life depended on it. For those of you in Melbourne it is located across from the train station entry next to Coles Express. I was initially after the fresh bean but hey these are just as great if not even better plus l'm in no position to complain after having waited for so long. They are cooked frozen so all you need to do is thaw and bon apetite. I seriously can't get enough of them. Off to google 'overdosing on edamame'.

Ahem, ahem! Commemoration.

2010-01-15T23:34:00.002+11:00

Chez Olivier

8 years ago on 11th day of January Monsieur and l wed. To commemorate we wined and dined at a gorgeous little French restaurant called Chez Olivier. Just the two of us. Last year we went out with the children and that too was lovely. The year prior we took Atilla and l was very newly pregant with Lale but didn't know it at the time. The kids have pretty much accompanied us every anniversary since their birth which l truely enjoy as we get to celebrate as a family and they are the fruits of our marriage. Monsieur has had the pleasure of spending the last few weeks in our company as he has been on leave so it was really nice being able to celebrate as a couple this time. Despite the 43 degree weather, we took comfort in the fact that it wasn't so hot the day we got married. We had such a great time and l truely enjoy this man's company as much as the day l married him.

Chez Olivier

Monsieur has such strong values and virtues yet is so loving and caring. I have learned so much from him over the years and l admire his dedication to his family. He has taught me about patience, forgiveness, oppurtunity cost (lol), to laugh more and worry less. He has taught me to let go of the bad and the superficial and embrace the good with all my heart. And most of important of all he keeps me in check reminding me of what really matters in life. I feel so blessed to be able to sit down and plan the rest of my life with Monsieur. Je t'adore.

Je t'aime Monsieur.

Stuff...

2010-01-15T23:04:00.001+11:00

l'm still trying to figure out my blogging comfort level. For a long time l contemplated starting another blog to write about all the personal stuff but then l figured l'd never keep up. So l'm still in the process of finding that balance. I consider myself an introvert. I'm a private person and need to work things out in the inner before verbalising them and l'm not sure whether l want this blog to be that inner. I considered keeping this blog just business like but l can't do that either because l am passionate about MiniTribe and put so much of myself into the business that it wouldn't be fair to myself, the business, my customers or my readers. So l'll get there. Hopefully l'll get there fast because all the draft blogs l wrote and never had the courage to publish are building up fast.

One of the contributing factors to this has been that some weeks back I had an epiphany. It wasn't some New Years resolution or anything, it was more like the 'you wake up and BANG it hits you in the face' type. Ok, so perhaps not that dramatic, but you get the gist.

Now everything looks different. It may very well have been a result of a number of events or non-events and a long coming thing but the penny certainly dropped overnight. I pretty much woke up and realised alot of things, some of which I'm still learning to accept and make sense of.

Most importantly l've learnt to let go. That has been a huge step for me. We're talking posessions and people. The people part may sound bitter but it certainly isn't. It's more about me making peace with myself. There are only so many steps a person can take and l've pretty much exhausted all my steps. The waiting game never goes on forever. And time, we all know you can never bring back time. Then there are people you hardly see, speak to yet your hearts are one, soulmates l guess. Life is beautiful and l refuse to waste it.

Without knowing it, Monsieur has taught me so much. Love, Patience, Forgiveness, Kindness. That man has the virtues of a saint... sometimes...ok most of the time.

Now l know there is ALWAYS an alternative.

I will and l can but not right now is ok too. Some things can wait and others will have to give.

I'm not afraid to walk away and start over again so long as my family is with me. In fact this is one of our plans, leave with nothing but a suitcase and live in a foreign country or two.

So in short we've been decluttering - our homes, our heads and our lives.

To the Moon and back

2010-01-05T00:30:00.000+11:00

10...9...8...7...6...5...4...3...2...1...Blast off!!!

Potato Cakes

2009-11-21T00:15:00.000+11:00

I love to sift through recipe books but l don't think l've ever followed a recipe to a t. I improvise All. The. Time. In flicking channels back and fro between Justine Clarke on DVD and tv channels, reading a story book to a 3 year old whilst brestfeeding a 1 year old, l caught glimpes of some show where a man and woman were hunting for food and trading goods whilst living in a tent in what l thought was Ireland. She made something with potatoes that had my mouth watering. l missed most of it but thought l'd just make my own version. It turned out great and the kids loved them too. They make a great side dish. No measurements or anything. Just throw it all together. So here it is.

Boil a few potatoes and mash
Add milk, salt and pepper
Finely grate onion and cheese and mix in
Add some fresh oregano or parsley (dried is fine too)
Add flour until the mix has a doughy consistency

Flatten the dough and cut with a knife or use cookie cutters to make shapes
Pan fry in some butter a few minutes on each side and voila!

We used round cookie cutters and star shaped ones for the kids. I don't have any pics of the stars because my kids scoffed them down in no time. The leftovers were also great to re-heat the next day.

That's Melbourne! 11 Years

2009-11-19T23:55:00.002+11:00

11 years ago today, Mr Handsome whisked me off my feet as he wined and dined me. He may have not had my hand but little did he know that from that day on he had my heart forever.

So to celebrate we escaped to the city. We held hands, we kissed, we got lost and we wandered. We were tourists for the day. We each picked a place of choice and off we went.

My destination was China Town. We wandered and wandered until we came across a sweet little Japanese Tapas and Sake bar in an alleyway. The food was delish and the service was amazing. We had the cutest Japanese waitress.

Next, knowing my love and appreciation of architectural design, Mr Handsome took me to The Block Arcade on Elizabeth/Collins Streets. We dreamt of one day owning our own little store in the arcade.

Now you can't visit The Block Arcade without visiting Haigh's. My goodness, l didn't know where to look. After l mopped up my dribble and decided on which chocolates l wanted to stuff my face with, we headed to the car for the long drive home.

It certainly wasn't enough time to do the city but we both noted some other places of interest and I think there will be another visit to the City of Melbourne soon. Mr Handsome is going to take me to the Art Gallery and onto an old tram next time and I'm going to take Mr Handsome to Federation Square and on a horse and carriage ride. Oh so romantic!!!

Edamame Tribe

2009-11-18T22:34:00.000+11:00

My kids love any form of beans cooked in any way or form or even raw for that matter. Chickpeas, red kidney beans, broad beans, baked beans, peas, snake beans, flat beans, snow peas, green beans... you get the drill. Who would've known there were so many different types of beans! Oh only if the pre-baby me could see me now!

Anyway, l have been literally dreaming of trying Edamame beans lately (hmm... l wonder who the kids get their bean addiction habit from?). So l finally got my hands on a batch of cooked delicous Edamame beans and bought some home for my kidlets.
"What's this beans mummy?" Atilla asked immediately.
"These are called Edamame beans" l told him, "Try them".
They both absoulutely devoured them in minutes, both on an already full tummy!

"Yumm... Mummy" Atilla announced, "l love Mama beans".
Later on in the night he asked to have some more "Mama beans".
When l told him all the Edamame's were finished and we didn't have anymore, he was disappointed and asked with a sigh if he could please have some "...Daddy beans then???". Such a sweetheart is my little Atilla bean.

So l've got a mission to complete tomorrow. I need to find me an Asian Grocery Store that stocks fresh Edamame so l can cook it myself.

What Are You Nuts?

2009-11-17T23:56:00.001+11:00

That's what l felt like screaming to the Paediatrician and Immunologist yesterday who declared to me that my little girl is allergic to P.E.A.N.U.T.S! Grrrr... peeved is how l felt. They were such lovely people, really. Just the bearers of bad news!

After waiting on the 'urgent list' for what has felt like an eternity to have Lale tested, I was 99.9% sure on her egg allergy. Much to my suprise she tested negative for the egg meaning she had outgrown the allergy. So we started the egg home challange today and voila no reaction thus far! I must have known deep down. I came home with an egg cup for her last week. Mr Husband just glared at me as if to say 'have you lost your mind woman?'.
"Why did you get pink?" he asked.
"Cos they sold out of blue and besides she can use it when she's outgrown her egg allergy". Completely wishful thinking that was on my behalf. Another wish now granted. Thanks God!

"Why can't she just be allergic to dairy?", l whinged to Mr Husband. We already have one child allergic to dairy, another won't hurt. But Peanuts? Peanuts never even crossed my mind. I was devastated. I had to hold back the tears so l didn't end up a blubbering mess. Peanut after all is the most likely food to cause anaphylaxis and death. And this is enough to scare the pants off any mum.

Meanwhile...

The conjoined twin girls from Bangladesh were being operated on starting yesterday at the Royal Children's Hospital. It all sounded so distant and surreal as things do on the news. It wasn't until we got to the RCH and saw the news crews all huddled outside waiting for information and updates on the surgery that l realised those children are as real as the little girl l held in my arms. We were under the same roof, in the same hospital while in another room, a crew of 16 dedicated doctors worked very delicately to separate the 3 year old girls. These babies will be in my prayers tonight.

As we were leaving the hospital I looked into Lale's eyes and she smiled. That moment l remembered how lucky l am. This is just another one of those hurdles life has thrown at us and this too we shall learn to live with.

2009-11-14T00:18:00.000+11:00

Occasionally l like to check out what the creative mamas are up to. I love looking at Etsy and MadeIt. Look at what l found on MadeIt today.

A super sweet Rainbow Doll Quilt handmade by CherryRed. Too cute!

My Oh My!

2009-11-12T22:07:00.001+11:00

Here are some gorgeous pieces l cannot wait to get my hands on!

Olive's friend Pop is a brand new collection of vintage-inspired, original clothing for little girls.

The 'nostalgic playwear' creations are inspired by proper little-girls' clothes of our grandmothers' generation, Post WWII, and from a time when little girls looked like little girls.

Every piece is made to be played in and grubbed up. Little modern takes on vintage designs, produced in beautiful, but wearable and durable fabrics, for today's little ladies. Bring on 2010!

Beach Babes

2009-11-08T23:27:00.000+11:00

They played and played and played...

Digging in the Earth

2009-11-07T22:22:00.002+11:00

November is a great time to play in the earth! So grab a shovel and get digging. I'm quite excited about our vegie patch for this year. Last year none of our tomatoes or pumpkins made it through the 40 degree heat wave so l am slightly more hopeful for this time round. There is nothing quite like the satisfaction of picking a fresh organic homegrown vegetable off the plant that you sowed (well, or your husband). Mr Husband is the one with the green thumb in family so he ploughed, sowed, planted, watered and did whatever else you do in the garden. I picked, prepared and cooked.

Seedling Worm Farm Kit $64.95

As a baby Atilla loved to pick his own cucumbers and tomatoes from the garden and bite into them. Now that he is a bit older l think he will enjoy getting in on the Mr Husband side of things, and Lale will just follow lead. Seeing that l need to set a good example to my babies, Mr Husband has some teaching to do. I just can't wait make a scarecrow with Atilla! Check out the Better Health Channel for some tips on gardening with children.

Seedling Vege Patch $64.95

So here goes my November wish list:

Carrot

Capsicums

Cucumbers

Squash

Cherry tomatoes

Sweet corn

Lettuce

Zucchini

Silverbeet

Broccoli

Parsnip

Pumpkin

Swede

Oh and l'd love to see asparagus and celery grow too!

Animals Are Our Friends.

2009-10-21T00:46:00.001+11:00

Learning to be gentle. Learning to be kind...

We have recently had a few oppurtunities to teach our children about kindness and respect for animals. Atilla made friends with a massive snail in our garden over the weekend, which kept him occupied for over an hour and taught him so much. Normally he would just jump on them and crush them but l think we've finally put an end to that. This little fellow engaged him so much and he was able to establish that even a snail deserves some sort of respect and has a place in nature. He talked to the snail, helped it find it's friends, fed it some lettuce, picked it up, observed and watched and left it alone in the end. Small. l know, but huge step for man...

Lale on the other hand was shrieking with joy when she met her first bunny rabbit at the local farm. So we decided to let her hold one. I nearly died when she tried to nibble on it's ears.

Feeding a deer.

Big Mr Pig!

New Arrivals

2009-10-13T23:50:00.000+11:00

Here is a sneak peak of some new stock l am yet to put onto the store. Some l wanted to feature at the expo first, others have just been waiting patiently to be entered on the system.

Balance scales to weigh goods.

A cash register - an essential when you're playing shops!

A child size fridge to store all their pretend food in. Too cute! Atilla has one and is crazy about it. He has always been a huge fan of pretend play with food. He was so excited when daddy was putting it together he couldn't keep still. The twinkle in his eyes when he saw the finished product was absolutely priceless.

A microwave of course to nuke the food in.

Such a gorgeous and durable doll pram.

One of many new books in store. You can never have too many books.

A knitted magic toadstool, a storybook must.

Some new vegetables.

Oh and musn't forget the bikkies for the tea party.

Casey Cloth Nappy Expo 2009

2009-10-12T00:37:00.000+11:00

After a crazy lead upto the expo, we finally got there. First Atilla got sick, whilst he was recovering Lale came down with it. Then when she was getting better he was sick with something else and then she came down with it! It's such a nasty cycle when you have two little ones that love to explore the world with their mouth. Thank goodness they both recovered before Saturday although Lolly decided that it would be fun to stay up until 2am the night prior to the expo whilst l was up getting all my stock and pricing in order.

I'm so happy to have been a part of it. With my stall extending over 3 long tables and a clothes rack, we were pretty much full shop. There was a huge turn out with lots of mums, bubs, dads and grandparents. There were a total of 18 exhibitors with the main focus on cloth nappies and around 300 visitors expected this year. With the expo having a green and organic theme, even ABA were there; whom had some great info available.

How lucky am l to have my very own clothie bum who came to visit me for a feed and cuddle! Here we are in our matching ‘Casey Loves Cloth’ t-shirts.

We had an expo discount and some expo specials which l haven’t yet put onto the store. The Pintoy Pram or Push Buggy as it’s called was a huge hit with the kids and much to my surprise went missing more than just a few times with youngsters taking it for a test drive.

The Pinocchio Push alongs were also extremely popular.

Mums and bubs loved the range of gorgeous Lark knitted rattles. It was great to meet and chat with so many lovely parents, stallholders and little people. With lots of cloth bums around and so many gorgeous slings than l have ever seen, the expo turned out to be a great success. Many thanks to the lovely Casey Council staff who put so much effort and passion into organising this worthy event. What a great oppurtunity to promote and support the use of cloth nappies, sustainable living and local businesses - can't get better than that!

Lale's Pink Polka Dot 1st Birthday!

2009-10-05T20:19:00.004+11:00

Just over a week ago we celebrated Lale's 1st birthday despite the freezing cold and wet weather. We cleaned, we cooked, we baked, we picked flowers, we decorated and l was determined the party was going ahead come rain, hail or shine. I’m ALL about the small details and fine tuning but at the end of the day it’s the people who bring life to the party. So a huge thank you to the lovely people who made Lale’s day so very special.

Here are some sneak peaks of the day.

My beautiful family! Oh and my beautiful pink polka dot bunting in the background.

The adorable birthday girl dining with her guests. She loves her rice and her red kidney beans! I have no idea how many top ups she had. My gorgeous friends ensured that she was well looked after. She truely had such a wonderful time at her party!

This was not only my very first attempt at a tier cake but also my very first time working with fondant. I’m very proud of the way the cake turned out. Not only did it look so pretty, it tasted delicious too. It made a beautiful centerpiece and l think we all spent more time standing there admiring the cake than we did eating it.

The cupcakes were devine. They looked too good to eat yet tasted scrumptious. I can't wait to make them again and have a little play with different designs.

We had a pink and white desert theme (of course!) complete with pink lemon, lime and bitters. We had chocolate crackles with pink and white loveheart sprinkles, coconut ice, jelly slice, pink and white cupcakes, chocolate pudding cake, baklava and mudcake. Yum!!!

We converted our garage into a party room and it all came together so well. Aren’t the napkins just adorable? They really set the scene for the party and added the final touches to the polka dot theme.

After searching high and low for polka dot napkins l came across Details, details! who sell ‘Little things for big occasions’. What a great concept and such a gorgeous store! I was on the phone immediately and had the pleasure of speaking to Siobhan who was just so lovely and so helpful. The next morning the napkins had travelled from Queensland to Victoria and were at my doorstep!!! I was ecstatic.

I had my daughters polka dot tutu and matching hair bow layed out about 2 months before the party but just could not find the right pair of shoes to match. Normally l say “if you can’t match the shoes to the outfit, then match the outfit to the shoes” but this was an exception to the rule as l wasn’t changing the theme for her party.

Aren't her shoes to die for? Less than one week to Lale's party I came across Tiny Steps and there were the shoes l had dreamt of! Fiona express posted them to me and the next morning the Cheeky Little Soles ballet slippers were on Lale's feet! Not only do these shoes come in the most amazing colours l want them all but Tiny Steps has an amazing range of shoes in little sizes.

And last but not least my favourite shot of the day...

Pink Polka Dot Bunting

2009-09-21T00:11:00.000+10:00

For Lale's 1st birthday we're having a pink polka dot theme! I am literally addicted to polka dots. It all started when we came home with a newborn girl to lots and lots of hand me down boys stuff from her big brother. l was adamant we needed something girly to cover our green and white striped change mat which was starting to look rather the worse for wear. So my husband dashed out to the shops and much to my delight came back with the prettiest, softest baby pink change mat cover with raised spots. A few weeks later Lale's nursery was decked out in pink polka dots and florals. I purchased some polka dot material to make basket liners to match for her room but never actually got around to making them so l've had this material tucked away for a rainy day.

A bunting is something that has been on my shopping list for the nursery for a while so l decided to make one... with the material... for Lale's birthday party and then to put up in her room. So I started sewing. Then it became obvious how long it had been since l last picked up a thread and needle; my sewing skills were shocking. So l drove to my mums and bought back her sewing machine, which is in dire need of a service but nevertheless did the job in the end.

Kobba Locomotives in Stock

2009-09-17T15:29:00.000+10:00

The Kobba range of Locomotives have just been re-stocked. Be quick to grab yours as they are selling out fast. The locomotives are robust, sturdy and a great way to lead your train collection. They measure approximately 288 x 95 x 118mm making them a great size for play.

The Kobba Playtime range has provided safe play and fun to New Zealand children for over 20 years. Designed by professional craftsman, Kobba Playtime is built to last, made from plantation timbers with no sharp edges. Thoroughly tested, this range has been awarded the New Zealand Design Council Designmark for excellence.

As with all our Kobba wooden products, the smooth finish and tactile pleasure of these toys cannot be matched by any other material.

My Love...

2009-09-16T10:17:00.000+10:00

My love is 1 today!

Still so tiny, still so new, still so baby.

Happy birthday my love!

A New Friend

2009-09-15T23:04:00.001+10:00

Lale has spent the last few weeks cuddling, rocking and cradling soft toys and anything else that resembles a doll whilst singing "baybee, baybee" in a very sweet soft tone. So l've been on a mission to find her a decent doll for her 1st birthday. My requirements were non-toxic, preferably handmade, baby friendly dolly for my 'baybee' to nurture and grow with.

I found myself at Little Sparrow, a gorgeous little shop tucked away in the streets of North Caulfield run by a lovely lady, Shelley Davis. I would absolutely love to have a shop like this one day. Shelley makes the 'Special Friends Waldorf Dolls' by hand and they are of astounding quality. She was such a delight to deal with and so helpful. She even layed out all the dolls on the counter top and allowed my little one to take her time to see which one she would take to. My poor Lale was stunned as she had never seen so many gorgeous "baybee's" in her life. It was also interesting to see that Lale preferred the dolls with their clothes off so l picked out some gorgeous materials for her outfits to be made in to please my taste! Shelley helped me pick out colours to match Lale's complexion and her puzzling eye colour which is of a deep olive green with specks of light brown.

I think it’s nice for babies and children to have a doll friend which they can relate to. In my doll search l have also come across dolls made to order which look exactly your child. I find that really freaky! l do however love the idea of having doll with similar complexion and minimal features to allow the child to imagine. Waldorf dolls can be a part of play and allow the child to experience emotions through the doll rather than having just a wide eyed smiling doll with a permanently fixed surprised expression all the time. I just can't wait to meet Lale's new friend once she is complete. I will have to come back and post a pic once she is born.

News, news and news!!!

2009-09-14T17:48:00.003+10:00

What a wonderful day! Such gorgeous spring weather and l have had such a busy yet relaxing day.

I've had some lovely news from a friend who lives miles away but is very dear to my heart. We may not see one another often and even if a few weeks go by without a chat, we still know each other inside out. When we are fortunate enough to meet up face to face, it's as though we haven't been a day apart. Now she's going to be a mother and l am ecstatic! My kids will finally have someone to grow up with! Oh and of course the gorgeous 4kg baby boy my cousin and his beautiful wife welcomed into the world only a few days ago. He is just adorable and my little ones can't wait to play with him already.

I'm also delighted to announce that l'll be exhibiting at the Casey Cloth Nappy Expo on Saturday, 10th October 2009. It will take place at Balla Balla Centre, 65 Berwick-Cranbourne Road, Cranbourne East from 10.00 am - 4.00 pm. Entry is free. There will be cloth nappy stalls, organic baby and children's clothing, wooden toys, giveaways and vouchers, door prizes, children’s activities and more! I'm very excited to be a part of it. I also can't wait to check out the range of cloth nappies in person and add to my stash. I already have some wonderful ideas...

To finish off such a lovely day, l'm off to have dinner with family. Every day calls for a celebration. Enjoy your evening, I'm off to enjoy mine.

Purebaby Winter Clearance Sale!

2009-09-05T22:58:00.001+10:00

This is one clearance sale you don't want to miss! Grab yourself a bargain. We are making way for our stunning range of Summer stock and therefore need to clear our Winter range. Anyone who has dressed their precious child in Purebaby will tell you that not only are the designs absoulutely devine but they are also woven from the softest lush organic cotton.

Random things I love...

2009-08-23T23:41:00.003+10:00

Blossom trees. This one is a Plum tree in our garden currently decorated with beautiful white blossoms. So pretty.

Bird's nests. Last Spring we were lucky enough to be able to watch a bird lay it's eggs and hatch them all from our backyard. l must admit l was quite sad to see the little ones eventually leave home but then again l had just given birth to my darling daughter and was very hormonal at the time.

I love the ocean for so many reasons; the smell, the sound of the waves crashing. The ocean is so cleansing. Never have l seen such amazing hues of green and blue as the Bay of Fires at St Helen's in Tasmania. This photo brings back some lovely memories and reminds me that l am in desperate need of a holiday.

White. I think of white a bit like H2O. Pretty hard to imagine life without it. I just love the purity and crispness in white. What is colour if it weren't for white.

Homemade roast beetroot dip. Yummm!

Blue Gumpy Goo

2009-08-18T16:49:00.008+10:00

Today we made Flubber but we like to call it 'blue gumpy goo'. It is the weirdest of textures but absolutely amazing for sensory play. The goo is cold and wobbly just like jelly but it rolls up and squishes like play dough.

You can mash it, bang it, pat it, cut it, pull it, break it, stick things into to, etc. You get the picture. It breaks up but then somehow mysteriously all bonds together again leaving a very even surface. It's like a solid with liquid properties!

We coloured ours blue but you can it colour it any colour you wish to. The recipe calls for liquid water colour not food colouring. However, we used the professional cake decorating colouring and that seemed to work fine. I probably wouldn't try the liquid food colouring sold at supermarkets.

Here is the recipe. Let me know how your goo turns out and what you named it.

1-1/3 cup of warm water

1-1/2 cup of warm water

2 cups PVA glue

Liquid water colour

2 tsp Borax

In a small container, combine 1-1/3 cup very warm water and 2 tsp Borax. Stir until Borax is completely dissolved. Set aside. In a large container, combine 1-1/2 cup of very warm water, 2 cups glue and water colour. Mix thoroughly. Pour the contents of the small container into the large container and mix well using your hands. Lift and turn the mixture until it is fully combined. If stored in an airtight container, the flubber will last a couple of weeks.

Missing - in the blog world

2009-08-16T22:24:00.013+10:00

I have admitedly been lazy and missing in action in the blogging world. There are not enough hours in the day to enjoy life especially with running MiniTribe and juggling a 3 year old cowboy and 11 month old bouncy ball. Here are some updates on what we have been upto.

We had a new addition to our family. We named him Canon and l just cannot put him down. My dear sweet husband bought me a Digital SLR camera a few months back for my birthday and l am utterly in love. I have always been a bit of a photography enthusiast and used to get super frustrated when l couldn't get the camera to capture what l wanted it to. l love the fact that l can manipulate the light and capture amazing moments. Canon and l are still bonding and getting to know one another and oh we are loving it so much!

Eat. Drink. Be Merry! My beautiful boy Atilla and l discovered the joys of cooking together some time ago and we cannot stop baking. Well, we couldn't stop until l burnt out my oven on Wednesday just as l was placing lasagne into the oven as guests were arriving for lunch in an hour. Thank goodness my mum came to the resuce, as always. So for now we are taking a break until our oven gets fixed.

Voila! Gluten free, diary free, yeast free home pickled olive bread. Is there anything better than the smell of freshly baked hot bread?

White chocolate sprinkled cupcakes.

And a dairy and gluten free one for Atilla with dairy free chocolate buttons. My boy is so sweet with his gorgeous ideas or shall l say his "Gooden ideas". "Mummy, oh l have a gooden idea! Let's bake some cupcakes!" he'll say with so much excitement his eyes twinkle. He loves to pour and mix but l think his favourite part is when he gets to lick the spoon.

So we bake - alot! I love to cook. We make olive bread, linseed bread, banana muffins, sausage rolls, the occasional chocolate cupcakes and whatever else our tastebuds desire. My father in law has huge home grown pumpkins in his garden and I just can't wait to try pumpkin bread next.

How's this for a 'gooden idea' l have for a replacement oven? For now, l think l might have to save my pennies for this one.

Unfortunately we missed Life Instyle this year. I had a number of invites for the Kids Instyle Expo and was looking forward to attending and meeting alot of lovely voices in person. Our busy schedule meant we had to give it a miss but l have been following the show and can't wait to get my hands onto some gorgeous pieces for MiniTribe that were on exhibit.

My precious little flower, Lale Peri is turning 1 next month. So a wee bit of time in the wee hours of the night has been spent planning for her big day. I am slightly anxious to be honest. Firstly because the last year has just flown past and despite enjoying and cherishing every second with her, it is never enough.

She is the cuddliest of babies, such a happy little delight and loves to snuggle upto me at night. I cannot get enough of her sweet baby smell. But l am also anxious because she is still SO baby. "How is she going to be 1?" l keep asking myself. She is still a gurgly little bubba. I'll find out in a month or so...

2009-07-11T22:23:00.007+10:00

I’m loving the philosophy behind these creatively designed Seedling packs. Not only do they make fantastic gifts but they engage the child all whilst teaching some life skills. Talk about an educational gift! They also make great project kits.
I'm not quite sure which is my favourite. I really like the Junior Doctor kit with the working stethoscope but then again how awesome are the Good Things for Boys and Girls. But then who wouldn't love the Outdoor Explorer Set? Ahh l don't know! They're all my favourites...

The seed for the company was planted in 2006 when the founders couldn't find a meaningful and inspiring gift for children who had plenty of mass produced toys that were played with for 10 mins and then discarded.

They yearned for a good old-fashioned experience that meant time shared, skills gained and something that kids could really dig their teeth into.

Seedling inject pure passion into products allowing children to work with real materials and tools giving them a sense of mastery and achievement whilst having fun and engaging with adults. Now you can't go wrong with that!

2009-06-27T23:16:00.011+10:00

After cooking until midnight last night and finishing the final touches this morning, our dinosaur cake was finally complete and turned out a treat! I had to make sure the little ones were in bed last night before l mixed up the biggest bowl of green goo to spread on the cake. I used delicious butter cream for the icing adding leaf green food colouring until l had it green enough. The cake itself was a dairy and gluten free chocolate mud and was absolutely devine. Very nice and moist.

Here it is in the making...

And Voila! The birthday boy adored his "spiky green dinosaur cake". Phewww!

MiniTribe BIG Sale

2009-06-18T22:48:00.003+10:00

Don't miss the MiniTribe mid-year BIG clearance sale!!! Sale on from 20th June 2009 until 30th June 2009. Shop at MiniTribe and save BIG!

It's Party Time!!!

2009-06-16T21:55:00.010+10:00

My baby boy is turning 3!!! He's learning independence and he's learning to exert his mind... One of our all time favourite books is The Very Hungry Caterpillar by Eric Carle so a while back l decided that l would make him a caterpillar cake for his 3rd birthday.

Now, my boy doesn't like suprises so in order to prepare him l told him that l was going to make him a Very Hungry Caterpillar cake for his birthday and he told me "No, l want a dinosaur cake, a spiky dinosaur cake! ROAR!!!" Oh ok! Maybe next year then? There are some very talented mamas out there. Look at this one!

So in order to keep the little man happy and avoid any birthday mishaps, l've been on the hunt for a spiky dinosaur cake and think l've found him. http://www.howdini.com/ have video demonstrations of different cakes and gosh do they make it look easy. Do you think it's spiky enough??? Cute isn't it? I still like the caterpillar though lol.

Lark Rocks! (or shall l say rattles!)

2009-06-15T23:17:00.009+10:00

From Lark we present delectably delightful doughnuts, fresh rattling fruits & vegetables and mouth watering cupcakes. These hand knitted rattles and play food are not only the most gorgeous you’ve ever seen but are also made in Bangladesh under Fair Trade conditions by women artisans who would otherwise be unable to work. They are so cute you will want to collect them all.

The rattles are very popular with babies and children and my sweet little girl is surely a big fan. As you can see her favourites are the pink sugar doughnut and the peapod and they come with us everywhere we go. Come to think of it these two describe her quite well. She is giving them a great work out with her first tooth cutting through and l love the fact that l can just throw them into the wash.

The only problem is that they seriously look so delicious, they have me craving for doughnuts - Krispy Kreme to be exact, grrrr… I must admit we have done a few late night trips to Krispy Kreme since our sweet little doughnut received hers and l have to have the Pink Iced Bobby Dazzler to match. So just to let you know the rattles are not 100% fat free but they are absolutely 100% gorgeous.

Shoes, Glorious Shoes!

2009-06-07T21:54:00.009+10:00

I have an addiction – it’s called shoes. I love great quality and design but boy do I love a shoe with character. A good shoe tells a story and has personality. My addiction has somewhat evolved and grown over the years. I now have the pleasure of picking and purchasing shoes not only for myself but also for my children and occasionally my husband. Although l am a self-confessed shoe junkie, it’s no longer all about me.

Just a sneak peek of a few of my faves.

By the time my first child was 1 year old, his shoe collection exceeded that of mine and my husband’s put together. I even took individual photos of all his shoes to make into a mini album. If someone went overseas they bought me back shoes. Needless to say my now nearly 3 year old is shoe fussy. He tells me what shoes he would like to wear not just to match his outfit and the weather but also based on our destination and his MOOD!

Here are a few more faves he still needs to grow into.

The other pair of tiny feet in the house are only 8 months old. She already shows a great but somewhat misdirected interest in shoes. She likes to touch, pat, throw and chew on shoes (much to her defense she is teething). She has however displayed an unbelievable interest in bling bling since she was newborn! Diamonds make her eyes sparkle (takes after her mum my husband says).

Despite not knowing the gender, I commenced purchasing shoes for my baby girl whilst she was still in utero. They were just way too irresistible! At the moment, I am just loving Mary Janes for her. They just suit her personality so well. Still a bit tricky to get on her fat little feet as she curls her tiny toes but so worth it once they are on.

These oh so adorable pair of black patent Mary Janes from Seed are no bigger than my index finger. Absouletly delightful!

Funnily enough, we also have some unspoken house rules in relation to shoes:

1. No crocs – period. Are they even real shoes?
2. We love sandals but NO thongs, flip-flops or whatever you like to call them. They just are not for us. l did purchase a really funky pair of Fred Bare black/white zebra print for my son for summer which he refused to wear. He told me he’d rather wear gumboots and this was in 42’C heat! Even my husband refuses to wear them in public. I imagine he thinks it’s like going out in your underwear or something.
3. If you can’t find the right pair of shoes for the outfit, then you find an outfit to go with the shoes.

Happy Shoe Wearing!

Go Go Foogo!

2009-05-06T23:57:00.012+10:00

Our funky range of non-toxic Foogo products have just arrived! Foogo products use all FDA approved materials and do not use plastics containing Bisphenol A (BPA).

Drinking water sitting in plastic for prolonged periods really bothers me, so my son and l decided to de-clutter and find new homes for our plastic fantastic collection. Some migrated to the bath and sandpit, some to the pretend play box and a few ended up in the recycling bin.

It was after much research and deliberation that l purchased my daughter’s Foogo Sippy Cup and Food Jar and l can confidently say that it is one of the best baby purchases l have made. The ease of use, the fact that it doesn't leak and peace of mind in terms of safety has been incomparable to other products on the market.

When l recently discovered that Foogo also make a straw bottle l was ecstatic. I cannot rave on enough about the straw bottle either. My son can open and close the lid himself and he doesn't need to tip it up to drink from it. It fits into bottle holders in cars, prams and bags. Aside from being child-friendly and non-toxic, Foogo products are also insulated. Check out our food and drink solutions for the range of Foogo products for boys and girls. The straw bottles and food jars are also great for school.

It's Earth Day today!

2009-04-22T11:49:00.005+10:00

It’s Earth Day today! April 22 marks a worldwide awareness day to celebrate our planet and get us thinking about our contribution to a healthy and sustainable environment. The Earth Day Network has some great information on issues that are currently threatening Mother Earth. Changing little daily habits can have a huge impact. Visit http://www.earthday.net/ for further information.

Here is our frugal living plan of attack:
-Change the light globes in our home to energy saving globes
-Start our own compost bin
-Get chickens!!! Can’t wait to collect the eggs!
-Build a chook house from scrap materials to house the chooks

Working with nature can only help simplify and enrich our lives. So whether you make and freeze baby food, grow lettuce in containers, travel wisely or campaign, the value of acting together cannot be underestimated. Remember to always look for new ways to Reduce, Reuse & Recycle.

Here are some facts supplied by the Earth Day Network site to get you thinking:
-It took 125 years to consume the first trillion barrels of oil and the world will consume the next trillion in only 30 years, according to Chevron.
-The current pace of sea-level rise is 50% faster then in the last century.
-Salmon, trout, and waterfowl are particularly vulnerable to climate change.
-By planting a large tree that creates shade, one can reduce heating and cooling costs annually by up to 40%.

Happy Earth Day!