The mother juggle ..

Image via Pinterest

Do you juggle? I'm not talking balls .. but being a mum and work? I tried today - and now, the end of the day, I feel I failed.

I took the day off work. I mean, it's the END OF THE YEAR. It is SO busy - I mean extremely busy - and I took the kids out of school and took them to Adventure Park (a water-type them park down thisaway). Sounds good in theory. A special treat for the boys. A great day out being a mum - just a mum. I know 'other' mums do it. I feel guilty for not being like 'other' mums. And I had promised them I would take them before school holidays started. I figured today was the best (and only) possible day I could manage it. We had a ball. It was hot. My sister came. One of their friends came from school too. We all wagged and went on the water slide.

Then I got home. There were so many emails. Brochures needing to be printed urgently (even one that the client has been dilly dallying on with for SEVEN months), umbrellas that weren't delivered (the couriers fault), press ads that needed to be sent to the newspapers and 3 new jobs (on top of the 15 existing ones) that simply must be done before the christmas break.

So I guess my juggling act failed - here it is .. the end of the day, I am plain old exhausted and feel in need of a big cry. I guess I want to know - do any of you out there get like this, try to do what I did today and actually succeed?


ps. I know I don't usually post 'life' type posts - that is best left to the likes of Baby Mac and Sara .. but just this once is OK isn't it???

My OEKE inspiration(s) ..

I'm not sure if I've ever told you just how I came about the business name OEKE. Well, my 'inspiration' is these 2 .. my boys. They inspire me to 'be' alot of things .. and inspire me to 'do' alot of things too. I don't usually put family pics on this wee little blog - but if I am to tell you how the OEKE name was decided, I can't not post a pic.

Their names are Joe and Luke. And the name OEKE is the last 2 letters from their names .. (j)OE .. (lu)KE .. sounds pretty simple now I've shown you huh. This is one of my favourite pics of them - they are sitting on the front gates and look so happy, so grown up and so brotherly. Their smiles are super big and they are looking all summery (this was from last summer).

Oh, and if you wondering how to say it .. it is pronounced OH-KEY (like Ni-Ke .. or karoeke).

Having the Mr's birthday party here today so best get off the computer and get cooking. Have a great weekend everyone (at least it's stopped raining here for the moment).

Designer garden gnome!! Yep, that's right ..

Garden gnomes would not usually fall under the 'designer' category. But these beauties slip through for originality, style & function. They would look good in any garden and I can picture a whole army of (colourful) little men lighting your way. Definately my favourite product of the year.

Found here

OOP snoop ..

Did you know that Outdoors On Parade have just released their 2012 catalogue. It's packed for of soooo many goodies. AND they have a blog where they update all their favourite things. Go have a peak here. AND AND you can shop online here too. Might be good for christmas gifts (which, I may add, I am yet to start - or even start writing a list for .. doh!!!)

ps. this is not a sponsored post, I just really REALLY like all their things

simple is always best ..

I know there are a tonne of designs out there (both interiors & graphic) that work better busy, cluttered, full. But me, I'm a simple gal and I love clean and simple (not that you could tell by the state of my kitchen right this minute). I'm not one to have tonnes of things everywhere - although I do have 'corners' where I have (what my hubby calls dust collectors) vases and picture frames and knick-knacks.

This artwork suits me. It says everything with very little required. The colours are perfect. The car illustrations spot on. The overall design, with lots of space between title and car, well thought out. I know girls aren't meant to like cars - but this is more about the 'art' than the content. It would work with drawings of furniture, shoes or flowers.

Go visit Marcin's web, facebook or blog and check out the rest.

I do love the 'Font Weight Classification' art (but if I had posted that you might think me a nerd!!).

Funny side to internet issues ..

This post is for Happy Howard. "Howard, if you're watching - flash back to Thursday".
It's also for everyone else out there who has had internet problems (and like WHO hasn't).

I found this via The Coolhunter FB page .. always a source of creativity, humour and style.

Crazy or cool .. ?

this is with them as a splashback, I will be using them on the floor

I'm thinking about being a bit daring with our main bathroom. I found a picture in a mag a few months ago (which I have since lost .. sorry 'bout that) that had a heavily patterned tile on the floor. So off I went hunting to see what I could find similar and found JATANA INTERIORS.

What do you think .. will the bathroom look crazy or cool?

I love JAM ..

Well, let me clarify that. If I was talking toast for brekky, I actually prefer vegemite. Not everyone's cup of tea I know, but for me it is SOOOO tasty. But this post is not about what I eat for breakfast, it's about a Melbourne firm of creative architects & designers who have the most delightful homes on their site. JAM ARCHITECTS do both commercial and residential projects - and these pics here are a mix of some of their recent projects. I love the use of wood .. and white .. and light.

If you dig further into the commercial section you will see they are developing a mammoth apartment block in Smith Street Fitzroy. We had 1 house and 2 offices in the vicinity of Smith Street, and looking at these photos I wonder how it will change the feel of the street. The area that is being updated was pretty much a nothing area of the street (a video store where druggies tried to sell you stuff when all you wanted was a movie to watch, a doctors surgery & chemist, a $2 type shop) - but it WAS what Fitzroy was .. a mix of everything. I guess time moves on and things change. Oh well.

FREE POSTER .. today only

Hi everyone. It's sunny. I'm feeling happy & relaxed after a hectic few weeks .. and I am just doing some posters for my office to jazz it up a little. I have just completed this one titled 'SUMMER LOVE, Wallington 2011/12' .. and for today only, if you would like your own poster - send me your 'Newtown 2011/12' .. or 'Tahiti 2011/12' wording and I will produce you a PDF which you can take to get printed.

PS. Offer ends at midnight Aussie time 16th November 2011
PPS. No, I won't be awake at that time - hope you are not too
PPPS. Colours are as per here - I can't change the colours. Well, I can change the colours - but it's free remember. F.R.E.E.

Woohoooo ..

Great news .. my OEKE umbrella can now be bought online via the online-shop-that-has-it-all-and-then-some ... DOWN THAT LITTLE LANE.

Tessa launched DTTL less than 1 month ago after years of research and a heap of hard work .. and in her words .. "We aim to attract an elite community of fine product makers and suppliers and become the best on-line multi store in Australia".

So with that sort of write-up I just knew I had to include the OEKE's in there. You can find all my umbrellas here .. and you can find my favourite artwork (which I talked about a week ago) here

Oh Yea(h) ..

OK, time to stop finding things I would like to buy - and back to finding homes I would like to live in. This house was in The Age real estate section on the weekend, and the pic with the view from the living areas - through the wall on windows - just did me in. So, as any good blogger does, off I went to investigate. Pretty glad I did. A stunner of a home, a stunner of a pool AND a stunner of a view. Imagine waking up to that each day. Go visit here and see the rest of the house.

Have a great Sunday everyone (-:

Definately NOT plain Jane ..

THIS I LOVE

OH, THIS TOO ...

OH, OK .. I LIKE THE WHOLE DARN RANGE ...

I love white sheets. Always have. Always will. But now lucky ol' me (and lucky ol' you) can add some pizzazz to your linen with the new range by Jane Hall of Salvation Jane. I'm loving the white pillow slips with the red stitch detail - perfect for my room or the boys. If I used it in the boys rooms I could also get a charcoal cushion (or red .. or both really!!) and they could sit and read their books in style.

Now I have also found out that Jane has done a range of stickers with the Wall Sticker Company .. cool huh!! I might even put the little cross in our ensuite bathroom. Subtle but stylish.

I've never met Jane .. but I reckon she would be pretty cool. I also reckon her outdoor space will be pretty cool this summer as she has just bought one of my OEKE 'Linked' umbrellas. Woohooo!!

Freaky and stylish!!

I just found this perfectly designed poster over at Printspace - a Melbourne company who 'are a boutique label producing unique art and stationery'. And how freaky - this poster is the same as the saying up top right of my blog. I found this quote a while back and just loved it.

Printspace are at the super fantastic Magnolia Square next month - along with tonnes of other crafty types. Perfect place to pick up some christmas gifts me thinks!!

ps. if you are looking for REALLY lovely art, you know .. the good ones you dream about - head over here to otispepper .. mmmmmm

URBAN (and non urban) WALLS ..

look mum, look mum, look mum .. look what I can do!!

I received an email the other day from Paul Hardy from URBAN WALLS asking me if I would like to do a blog about his great products. Sure. Of course. No problemo. And really, why not! These stickers (or wall decals I suspect might be the more 'in' term) are super lovely. I like the fancy wording one .. it might work well in our house (especially the 'we have fun' and 'we love'). Paul and his wife Danielle design & create these little gems.

'Our vinyl wall decals are a quick and affordable way to individualize your home without the hassle of painting. They are cut (with no edges or backgrounds) from a specialized vinyl that is specifically designed for home décor. Unlike standard high gloss signage vinyl, our product has a matte finish that gives a gorgeous painted look without bleeding or permanency. They are easy to apply, last for many years and can be easily removed but not re-used.'

That pretty much sums it up. So if you are looking for some fancy decorations for your kids room, your lounge or even on your fridge visit here, here and here.

A celebration ..

You know how some people can remember everything about their life .. amazingly some people even remember things from when they were 2 or 3?? Well. That's not me. Years ago I fell off a horse - my friends horse - and ended up in hospital for nearly 10 days. I was trying to impress some boys (as you do when you are a teenager) and wasn't wearing a helmet. I was knocked out and lost my memory. So, to this day I have a shocker of a memory. Sometime's that is a good thing as I can read and REread AND REREAD a book and still be surprised at the ending. Same thing applies to movies. Freaky heh.

So where am I going with this. Well today I have reached 200 people who at some stage or another clicked 'follow' on this little blog of mine. I cannot remember when I started this blog, or why - but boy do I love blogging. I love it because when I find things, I blog about them and then I can find them again later. But I also love blogging because of the people I've met. 'Met' sounds odd consider mostly it is by computer (although I've met 2 of you in person haven't I!!) but I feel like I've met you all - and so I wanted to say a big thankyou to everyone. You've made my day (-:

Anti-theft lunch bags

In need of some inspiration for a new design project, I found these via here. Nothing more to say. Too funny!

META is better ..

OK, I've done enough posts about shopping, let's go back to perving at nice homes, great homes even. This little selection is from Chantal Spanicciati's of META INTERIORS - a Californian designer. I'm loving the stone walls with the graphic round rugs - but a real surprise for me is that I'm also drawn towards the pale palette of colours used in the lounge shot. Wouldn't work in our homes - unfortunately I'm stuck with daggy brown leather until the kids move out - but I find this space so relaxing and stylish.

Be still my beating heart ..

Today's post is not about finding the right cushions for my couch, or the right tiles for my bathroom or about houses I would love to live in. It's about life .. and health .. and making changes to make sure I live to old age to enjoy what I've got right now.

I've been having chest pains. Freaky I know. I went to docs and had an ECG and all was fine - so big phew there right. I have to go for a stress test and he also told me next time it happens I have to call an ambulance (now that would be slightly embarassing heh!!). But, is this just a kicker to make me realise I have to look after myself. I have to make changes. BIG changes. But really, how to do that??

I've been wishing for more hours in the day just to get everything done as it is. How am I to find the time to exercise, or shop for the healthiest food - or even just to get my head around being healthy. I know it should be top of my list - maybe even above loving the kids - but my list is full as it is with work, house etc. I keep thinking about my Year 12 English Literature class and the Sylvia Plath poem .. 'Because I could not stop for death, he kindly stopped for me'.

Can you see my dilemma? So, I'm putting it out to blog land - has anyone else had to change their life to fit in health and wellbeing. Or have you been forced to? And what did you do?

All these posters are found via Terry Posters

Down That Little Lane ..

This one is TOP of my wish list

Cool bag - but I like the bike too!!!

A girls gotta have a summer nightie

LOVE. LOVE. LOVE.

My boys would look cool in these!!

Weird post title .. but great online shop. Down That Little Lane (DTLL) has a huuuuge amount of products and all so varied, so there is something for everyone. From home & garden to kids and gifts - there is even a whole section dedicated to grandma's & grandpa's .. can't say I've seen that before.

I have pulled various things that I might ask Santa to put under my tree this year (especially the lino cut artwork @ only $130 .. oh my!!!) but I'm sure if you visit you will find lots of goodies to tempt you too. There are so many great online shops popping up recently - but this one is top notch and VERY drool-worthy.