Christmas Gift Guide:: Your Mama - 12 Gift Ideas

Holy toledo Batman, it's been a while since I've been inside my blog, tapping away at the keyboard. I haven't forgotten it, but life's gotten hectic. 

But you know you can ALWAYS count on me for a gift guide or two (or three, depends how excited I get!). 

So let's kick off this party with gifts I'd love. And maybe your mama, your sister or your bestie might like 'em too. 

1. Super Lush Drop Earrings by Each to Own $80: Hands down these are my favourite earrings - they're sparkly, jaw-droopingly great, and they're surprisingly light! Made in Brisbane by Kirsten Devitt, these are the must-have for the party of the year, Christmas. 

2. Traveller Tee by Obus $79: You and I, we can argue 'til the cows come home, but you can never have enough stripy tees. And this just looks like it's the tiggety boo. Relaxed cut in a sunshine-yellow, hard to beat those classic good looks. 

3. Nars Lip Gloss in Orgasm from Mecca Cosmetica $39: If anyone gives me a nude lipgloss, I could pretty much just marry them right then and there on the spot. I love me a gloss, and this is a great nude that's go anywhere, do anything. 

4. Tresko Clog from Elk Accessories $145: So I saved Santa some time and bought these already to pop in my stocking on Christmas morning. It's saving him some bag space, and I am all about being helpful. Right?

5. Gold Plate Irregular Band from Elk Accessories $55: I love stacking up my rings - not just for the look but the for the gentle jangle all day. I feel like a hip librarian, and the organic shape and matte finish of this bangle is extra appealing. 

6. Belgian Linen Pillowcase in Rose from west elm $49: If you know me well you'll know that there's no greater everyday luxury I love than fresh linen pillowcases. And I am majorly crushing over this soft blush hue. 

7. City of Shadows by Peter Doyle (bundle set - including my favourite book 'Crooks Like Us') from Sydney Living Museums $79: Peter Doyle was one of my lecturers at university, and I was always enthralled by what he spoke about. Ever since I've been hooked on his books. And this makes for pretty compelling reading. But not for bedtime. 

8. Dahlia Shower Cap in Pink Painterly Floral by Louvelle $40: The best! The most instant! The most stylish! This is - I promise you, I vouch from experience, the quickest way to add glamour to an outfit. I have one and I adore it. Old school glamour at it's best! 

9. Ruby Pilven X Radical Yes 'Yes!' Ring $40: I am mad about these cool ceramic rings. Sassy, shiny and super fun, I love them stacked or single. 

10. Brass Chef's Pepper Mill from Mr Kitly $86: These feel so good in hand. I know this because on our wedding anniversary breakfast at bills I picked it up, and besides being in love with my husband, I feel truly, madly deeply in love with it. I haven't stopped coveting it yet. 

11. Kanye Tote by Club of Odd Volumes $35: Oh man!! This is the best. If you're beloved has a sense of humour, give them this - and make Kanye carry your load. 

12. Marrackech Hat from Fabrik $88: Handmade in Marrakech and hand embellished in LA, these hats have spunk! Plus I can't go a summer without a new hat, and I rarely go outside without one, so this could be the one for 2015!


Need some gift ideas? Hit me up! I'll try my best to help you! 

What You Can Do To Help 33 Year Old Amanda Jane

She's my age, she's a busy mum with a three year old child, she lives in Melbourne. And she's fighting MS. 

Meet Amanda Jane. She's flying to Russia for breakthrough stem cell transplantation. But she needs your help. 

She's hoping to raise up to $90,000 to assist with the treatment ($45k), accommodation and flights, as well as recovery time. I don't know (m)any 33 year olds with a spare $90k. So if you can support her in some small way, it will be a huge help. 

I chatted with Amanda to find out how Multiple Sclerosis has affected her, and what we can do to help. 

Amanda, two years ago at the age of 31 you were diagnosed with MS, what were your symptoms?

It took me over 12 months to finally get diagnosed. It felt like the longest 12 months of my life, 12 months full of fear and questions.

When I look back I can see I have had MS symptoms up to 5 years  - such as electrical shock feelings down my spine when I looked down and 'hot spots' on limbs for months (I now know the feeling down my spine is one of the most clear MS signals) was when I had tingling start in my feet, it slowly spread so that I had dead leg type pins and needles from the soles of my feet all the way up to my chest. I had pain and numbness in patches too. I had that for 7 months straight. It was terrible.

When my Neurologist saw my MRI he was shocked that I was standing next to him and wasn't paralysed, that was such a scary thing to hear. I was in shock and my only response was "I have a baby, I can't stop, she won't understand why I can't pick her up, I have to keep going, there was no other option".

After a strong course of steroids those feelings finally started to go away but then instead I started getting a constantly painful right eye and strange vision (optical neuritis), this was for a few weeks.

Next I was getting constant 24/7 severe headaches and migraines - it took 8 months to find a medication (that I take daily) that works to reduce them.

It was one thing after another for a straight 18 months.

What's a normal day like for you now?

At the moment, thankfully, not so bad. I have Remitting Relapsing Multiple Sclerosis (RRMS).This is the most common form of multiple sclerosis. About 85% of people with MS are initially diagnosed with RRMS. People with RRMS have temporary periods called relapses, flare-ups or exacerbations, when new symptoms appear. In time it is most likely that I will transition to Secondary-Progressive MS (SPMS) where symptoms worsen more steadily over time. 

Currently I feel the best I have in the last two years. In the last 12 months alone I have had six MRI's, many, many blood tests, been on three rounds of strong steroids and countless different types of pain medications to try to control my headaches/migraines.

At the moment I am dealing with is aches and pains in my joints which is one of the side effects of a new drug I am on to try to slow progression of my MS. Last Friday I started on a drug that will mean once a month I go to hospital for a few hours for an infusion of medication.

I take daily medication for my headaches and that is working well at the moment, I only have a dull headache most days and on bad days it still isn't as bad as it was before this medication.

I have fatigue which makes me feel like I am the laziest person on earth as I never have energy to do much yet I can't sleep as I have fatigue so I am forever bone tired.

I have gone from being a person who wouldn't even take panadol for a headache to one that gets up and takes at least 5 tablets every morning and drinks magnesium citrate in a drink every night to help with sleep and nerve pain.

This is a good day, I don't even want to think about my bad days.

I can still walk unaided, I can still drive, I can still chase around my daughter....I just don't know for how long until I have a relapse that means I might not be able to do that.

For people that don't know much about MS - can you tell us how it affects you every day?

Every day I need to think about taking my medication so I don't end up with a bad migraine.

My concentration and memory is pathetic. My sister in law would testify to how bad it is, I cannot recall a conversation we had earlier in the day let alone any other day.

I get confused easily and take longer to do things than I ever used to. I am very disorganised and that annoys me as I used to be organised.

I know it is effecting my brain on a daily basis.

On days where my body is effected I even need to consider how close I park my car to the shops as I get tired walking too far. An hour at the shopping centre the other day meant I had to have a lay down when I got home.

When I had optical neuritis I couldn't see my computer properly at work and had to close all the blinds so I didn't get too distracted by how much the daylight was distracting and making it even harder to read.

At my worst I had to concentrate and think about every single step I took because I couldn't feel my feet and it was too easy to trip and fall. Throughout this time I barely told anyone so I was carrying on like nothing was wrong, that is really difficult when you can't feel most of your body.

I constantly have MS in the back of my mind, all day, every day. I am always worrying about when and what my next relapse with be and whether my daughter will one day be looking after me.

You've got a small child, it must be tough parenting while dealing with MS, how are you coping?

It is hard. At my worst it was like I was on auto-pilot. I was in pain, constant pain, yet I just kept on going. I had no other option. My husband didn't know how to deal because he couldn't 'fix' me so we just kept going on as normal.

My daughter can’t understand why I can't lift her some days - my right side of my body is much weaker than my left, so I lift her even though it hurts like hell to keep her up. I still do the housework, go to work and go to play dates etc but it is super hard some days.

In the beginning of all this I felt so alone because I looked totally fine yet on the inside my body was attacking itself.

I think it was actually good that my daughter was born when it all started because otherwise I wouldn't have had a reason to keep pushing myself on. I would have just wanted to stay in bed all day.

Soon you're flying to Russia to receive the ground-breaking stem cell treatment, what will this do?

Hopefully it will totally halt my MS. It has no promise to reverse any current damage but it could, if I am lucky, but that is why I want to go now. If I could halt it now and only deal with the issues I have now I would be over the moon.

I don't want to wait five years when I might have a more permanent disability that I would then be stuck with for the rest of my life. If I can halt my MS before that then I would be one lucky chick.

To imagine being able to go back to a life where MS getting worse wasn't a thought in my head every day would be amazing!

What can people do to help you?

They can donate to help me get to Russia, donate their time to help at our events, or to source donations or donate goods or services for us to auction off at our trivia night to raise funds. Any help is greatly appreciated!

Anything else you want to share?

Just that I hope this treatment one day is openly available to any MS sufferers in Australia. If I could pay the same amount as I have to pay to go to Russia for treatment yet have it here, I would, but that isn't an option.

I also really want to thank everyone that is supporting me and showing interest in my journey. It is totally heart-warming to see that people want to help make my dream and the dream of my family, a reality.

Visit Amanda's website to read more - To Russia - Fighting MS
Donate here

Gift Guide:: For the Mamas

Want my advice? Probably not, but I'll tell you anyway. Email your husband/boyfriend/partner/self the link to this post as an invitation. It's a really subtle hint in a really non-subtle way. And it means everyone wins. 

1. Watermelon tee from Gorman $99 - You cannot go wrong with this t-shirt. Great with jeans, or some little shorty shorts, this is going to become a Summer staple. Well that's if Santa delivers. 

2. Dan 300 Large Leather tote in Citron from The Third Row $250 - How great is this pop of yellow? You could never tire of it. And I am sure I could pack half my world in there, as I am prone to doing with my bags. This one will be around for years. 

3. Blue Moon, Mint Oval & Golden Enamel Earrings by Victoria Mason $160 - Does everyone know how obsessed I am with Victoria Mason's jewellery? These are pretty much perfection.

4. Jigsaw Ribbon necklace from Elk $45 - Best. Necklaces. Ever. Santa. I really want this. Badly.

5. The New Flower Drum Club Baseball tee from The Flower Drum $49 - Fun. Super cool. Get me one. Pronto!

6. Simpatico Petal Bubble Bath from Saison $49.95- There's nothing better than soaking away the battles of a long day in a bubbly bath. 

7. Meredith Red metallic sandal from Habbot $290 - Modern-day Dorothy. I don't really need to say anything more, do I? Well except, hot damn! I LOVE THESE! 

8. Ikat short from Tilly by Lee Mathews $149 - These shorts are so cute they're probably illegal. I want them. I need a fake tan. But I still want them. 

9. Matyroshka 5 piece doll set from BLANK $25 - I'd love to decorate these with my smalls. We could get messy together and create our own little mini family. 

10. Paillette - Mod Squad from Hello Darling $16.95 - Just the perfect amount of sparkle for the festive season. 

Yo Mama! An Interview With Briar Stanley

 

About three years ago I had the great fortune of meeting Briar Stanley through work. She's a wildly talented woman with so much going on you don't know where she'll pop up next. Since meeting her three years ago, she's become a mum to the most ridiculously beautiful baby girl who makes me go clucky every. single. time I see her pop up on Instagram.

Briar's blog is this hotspot of cool. I love clicking through and wondering what I'll find. I'm never disappointed. Briar carefully curates a visually rich snapshot into her life. It's like visiting a good friend to catch up. Except much more beautiful.

She's terribly humble, utterly charming, and her work just appears BOOM - so effortlessly stylish. 

So let's do this thing - I'm lucky to have Briar Stanley on PMM today. Look out for her credit on Baz Luhrmann's The Great Gatsby. Let's GO!

PMM - Briar Stanley. Props buyer. Interior stylist. Food enthusiast. Crafter. Blogger. Mother. How do you fit it all in?

BS - I don't watch a lot of TV and I rarely sit still. 

To be honest, I'm concentrating on styling resedential properties since I have been on maternity leave, working from home with more flexible hours - so I haven't been experiencing the long hours as a props buyer on a film for a while. 

I've also always got time to be a food enthusiast. My husband is a great cook, and I love nothing more than trying out a new restaurant or cafe with my baby in tow...she loves her toast and babycino.

How did you first start working in interiors and prop styling?

I studied Graphic Design for three years at The Design Centre, Enmore. After graduating, I was a graphic designer for a few years at a big advertising agency - but my heart was never really in it. I one day found myself on the client side of a Kelloggs commercial and had a complete life changing/light bulb moment when I spotted the crew Set Dresser decorating the lounge room. A few months later, I took a bit of a gamble. I quit my day job and started waitressing in a pizza restaurant at night so I was free during the day to take on work experience in the film industry. Experience work I did! That was over seven years ago, and all the free work paid off - I work with the same people today I met in those first few months.

You worked on The Great of Gatsby (squeeeee!!). What was your favourite part?

I was surrounded by sparkles, gorgeous furniture and sumptuous fabrics as a Senior Buyer in the Set Decorating department for close to a year, it was definitely one of the highlights of my career. The huge size of the production and the healthy budget meant that we had the luxury of highly detailed and layered sets with months of research behind us. It was a challenging job, but thrilling at the same time. Working with the best in the industry and witnessing things like Gatsby's extravagant party scenes being shot at Fox Studios was truly electric. 

It must be demanding working on a film. How do you maintain your stamina?

Exercise definitely helps - not only physically but also for mental stamina. For the past few years, I have been part of a Manly based personal training group PinkFit a few times a week. For me, a day beginning with exercise is a much more productive one! I also walk/pram push a lot with my baby. In the first few months of her life, we would clock about 9km a day, because that was the only way she would nap...oh, fun times! When I'm working on a film, I'm always in bed before 9pm, as I usually have to set the alarm for 5.30am.

What other awesome projects have you worked on?

Some films I really enjoyed working on include Australia, Wolverine and Tomorrow When the War Began. I've also worked on the television series Underbelly, Rake and Paper Giants. I especially enjoyed Paper Giants, the story of Ita Buttrose - when she was editor of Cleo in the 1970's. 

I've also had some fun shoot days in the world of magazines - assisting the stylist Megan Morton was always a joy, and styling my own 3 x covers for Real Living magazine was definitely a highlight.

What's one of your favourite parts of your job?

It sounds so cliché, but I was able to forge a career based around my hobby. I was obsessed with interiors as a kid (I was always moving things around  my bedroom), so to be able to play with furniture and props all day really is a dream come true. 

What's your least favourite part?

When I'm working on a film, it would have to be the long hours.

You have a one year old baby. How do you juggle life?

My Mum and family are a big help and I have a very supportive husband. It's taken a while, but I feel like we are juggling things quite well. It's coincided with the baby becoming a better sleeper too. Sleep makes the world such a better place!

I found working from home, I always found distractions such as the washing machine, the sink and making beds (plus much, much more), how do you keep your eyes on the prize?

I'm pretty used to working alone when I'm on the road. When I'm out sourcing props and furniture, it's really important to keep focused with a strict to-do list. When the day comes to an end back at the office, I have to have some exciting things to show and tell. I treat working from home in a similar way, I'm a big fan of my to-do list (including daily domestic chores). I also make sure my office space is always looking nice and inviting, with good natural light.

Do you take time out for yourself? What do you get up to re-energise your batteries?

I'm not great at switching off - I can't even sit through a whole DVD at home. I do love to go to the cinema though, and pre-baby, would often go alone.  

I get the urge to craft/create often. It's almost my form of meditation, and I like to complete projects while the baby is napping.

What's up next for Briar Stanley?

A trip to New York. I kid...I wish. I'm decorating a gorgeous home for a client at the moment, so I'm looking forward to seeing the project come together. I also hope to style a few more children's bedrooms in the near future - that's where I can really have some fun.

Find Briar's consistently beautiful blog Sunday Collector here

Find her on Instagram here

And Facebook here

And Bloglovin here

This is the 10th interview in my Yo Mama! series. Interviews with creative working mamas. Look out for them (sometimes) weekly.

Yo Mama! An Interview with Michelle Shearer

A couple of years ago I came across a wonderful group called MamaBake. MamaBake hinges on the idea of women, mamas, banding together to bake - big batch baking - and produce meals en masse to free up time in each mamas diary. 

I know myself when mealtime hits I lack inspiration - and fumble to throw things together (unless I've got spare time, and that's like hunting for hen's teeth in a foxes den). 

A catalyst for change, MamaBake is the revisiting of real community and real-life support. Founder, Michelle Shearer is one of those funny, intelligent women that you find yourself drawn to. She's real - no pretenses, which is utterly charming in itself. 

This week I talk to her and find out more about MamaBake and why it's important to us mamas. 

PMM: MamaBake is an inclusive revolutionary group for mamas - particularly in a time when we're struggling for community. MamaBake was birthed three years ago - how was it conceived?

MS: It was conceived when my good friend Bec (who I went to school with back in England. We found each other again after she spotted a photo of mine on Facebook that looked alot like a place near where she lived.  We were both living in Australia and just up the road from each other.  So 20 years on, we're still best buddies.) came to school with a lasagne for me to take home for dinner.  I didn't have to cook a meal that evening so went surfing instead and it all felt incredibly liberating.  I immediately wanted to reciprocate and started to think around the concept of how we could get this feeling for every mum.  From there the group, big batch sharing concept of MamaBake was born.

Tell us why MamaBake is important.

MamaBake is important because the job of mothering is vital to a healthy society and that to do that job well we need community.  It is not a job that we are meant to do alone and we are not meant to be doing absolutely everything alone either.  No wonder depression rates are what they are in mothers.  The way we are doing it now is just not cutting it and we have to find other ways that supports women when they have children.  MamaBake provides tight knit community to mums, it lightens her domestic load and it demonstrates the power of her community to her children - so we leave a lasting legacy of togetherness for the future generations.

Running an online community is busy work. Running an online community AND a real life community is totally demanding. How do you manage the juggle?

I take windows of opportunity.  Karen runs MamaBake with me so we work together managing things and juggle between us but yes, it is demanding.

What's a normal day look like for you?

Best case: get up and go for a surf

Sometimes: get up run on the beach, swim across the lake and get home before the kids are up

Usually: get up put the parrots out, feed the chickens and said parrots. Make breakfasts for everyone, coffee.

The rest of the day is a combo of the following:

beach/work/bake/bed.

What's the best bit of your job?

Day to day: I love the banter on Facebook.  I sit here like Mutley sometimes snorting and exhaling loudly like an old smoker, alone. Ah dear.  I love reading and learning of new groups popping up and how MamaBake has impacted on them and seeing MamaBake grow and people taking that first step towards change for the better. I have some very special friendships that have come about as a result of MamaBake too and I value that very much.

Do your children cook?

Oh yes they love to get knee deep in whatever I'm doing.  

Sometimes if I work late, or I'm stupidly tired, I just can't muster the ability to make anything for dinner beyond toasted sandwiches and some veggies on the side. Do you ever get stuck for a meal?

I would say about half my week is me getting stuck for a meal and involves me opening the fridge, closing the fridge, wondering, frowning and walking away - repeat cycle.  I have the odd day where I'm inspired but mostly meh...(hence MamaBake!)

Do you ever get to take time out for yourself?

Yes I do but I have to claim it when the opportunity arises or it gets lost in a swamp of to-dos and dirty dishes.  If I do get time I like to surf, swim across the lake or walk across the headlands with my camera or a musty old book.

What's coming up next for Michelle Shearer?

Well, that all depends on our Pozible campaign...  I certainly hope to be building vaster in-real-life MamaBake communities for mothers across the world.

Join MamaBake here. 

Check out more MamaBake here. 

Read the MamaBake manifesto here.

And have fun at the MamaBake Facebook community here. 

Please support The Mother's Revolution here at Pozible. Seeking funding for spreading the MamaBake vibe even further around the world. 

This is the seventh interview in my Yo Mama! series. Interviews with creative working mamas. Look out for them weekly. 

Yo Mama! An Interview with Beci Orpin

I've renamed Beci Orpin - Beci Awesome.

Matt and I spent a joyful afternoon together, lying on the bed (don't get any ideas), reading her new book 'Find and Keep'. It's full to overflowing with colour, inspiration, and pure joy. I keep it by my bedside because as soon as I look at it, it buoys me. It's like happiness in print.

I've long been an avid fan of Beci Awesome. Since her Princess Tina days, when I'd avidly await her new releases, to recently when I met her at a flower bombing class at The School and rushed over to her and introduced myself (I am SUCH a nerd burger). I was so thrilled to be breathing in the same air as her. In a non-creepy way.

Beci is one of those rare creatures that constantly creates - and wins with her colourful and enchanting ways - plus she's super humble. And to add to that she has an equally awesome sister, Emily.

So without further ado, let's get down to why we're here - let's talk hear from the woman herself.

PMM: Beci Orpin.

Beci Orpin: YES hello!

In your book 'Find and Keep' you thank your parents for encouraging a creative childhood. Tell us about what growing up in the Orpin household was like.

Well actually I grew up across two different households for most of the time, as my parents got divorced when I was three and my sister (this is her) was one. We used to live with my mum during the week and spend weekends at dad's house. We lived in a commune with my mum for a while and that was super fun. She was all feminist theory and no TV and whole foods, but my dad let us occasionally eat junk food and Hubba Bubba and hire as many beta videos as we wanted. I think it was a good balance. In between both of them they read us lots of books, took us to lots of different classes (classical ballet, jazz ballet, flute, improv theatre, basket weaving, judo) and took us on fun holidays and outings. And of course they always encouraged us to do stuff, rather than sit on the couch.I think that was a biggie in how we both turned out.

 
You have two sons - how do you manage to keep active boys active, and your professional life thriving?

Honestly it's a constant struggle, but i have i've learnt a few tricks with boys (might apply to all kids but I have only had boys so I'm not sure) - keep them fed and take them out for a run - just like a puppy. My boys also thrive if you are able to give them one on one attention - which can be hard when you work from home and are an obsessive compulsive email-checker. But I find if I do the one-on-one thing, whether it be a bit of Lego building or reading books or drawing or talking about their day then that keeps them happy. I have also learnt that it's unfair to expect them to amuse themselves while I work. Neither of us ends up happy doing that. So I hang out with them when they get home from school and until after dinner and bed is done, and then go back to work when they sleep.

It was hard going to develop this kind of working routine for a while but now I am quite used to it, and even look forward to my night time sessions - it's really quiet and free from distractions. It almost disguises itself as "me time"! And it won't be like that forever. In the not-too-distant future they will be thinking I am completely uncool, so I'm going to lap up their demanding-ness while it's still happening.


Colour is so much a part of the Beci Orpin we know and love. Does it apply to all facets of your life?

YES for sure. Even without me noticing I find myself obsessing over what colour plates should go on that green table cloth, or an arrangement of scraps of colour paper on my desk. It can be quiet distracting really.


What's your favourite part of your job?

Without wanting to sound too sucky - almost every part. I do really like the beginnings of projects, getting all the bits together and experimenting. Subsequently I can suck at finishing things. I get it done eventually though. And variety. I like that I get to work on lots of different things.


And the best part of your day?

After we drop the kids off, Raph and I usually get coffee together. Even if it's just take-away we can talk in the car (his work is just around the corner). We are so busy independently, and Raph often works nights and weekends, and goes to bed early, so it can be hard to see each other aside from the daily routine. So coffee feels like a nice treat. I feel lucky we get to do things like that.

Do your children love creating too?

Ari definitely has the drawing gene - he creates literally hundreds of drawings without any prompting from me, or he is always asking to do painting or make something. Tyke is a bit older now (almost 10) and interested in different things - but he is creative in other ways - like writing stories, and of course Lego/minecraft creations. His mind is far more technical than mine will ever be.


How do you re-charge your batteries? What's time out look like for you?

I do have to work a lot so my "me" time has to be pretty well planned. I see a personal trainer once a week and have been doing that for almost three years - I never thought I would love exercise as much as I do! So much that this year i'm also doing bootcamp with some school mums! But the ultimate me time is riding my bike - I love it because it can fit into my day - I can ride to meetings and it feels like a bit of meditation on the way. We also go on a family holiday every year. That has become a pretty important ritual to us all now.


Juggling work and parenting is a crazy, crazy thing. What's your best tip to share?

YES IT IS. There are no tricks - it's hard work that's for sure. My tip is allocate kid time and working time and try not to overlap the both. As I said I try and hang out with my kids when they get home, and if I can't or need to go somewhere at night I tell them in advance so they don't get bummed out too much when I can't be there. Routine is kind of important to us - especially Monday to Friday - knowing what is going on in advance makes everything easier for everyone. Being organised is good too - but actually we are pretty crap at that. I can see how it would make our working/kid life much easier though. Getting organised is deinftely on my "to do" list.


What's coming up next for Beci Orpin?

Another crazy year - just how I like it. I'm working on one or two new books (can't say what or with whom just yet), and I have an exhibition planned for April with the amazing Kat Macleod, and a few other exhibitions later in the year too. Raph and I are also working on a new project for him - an exciting one which should launch in June. I'm trying to squeeze in bit more blogging, but most likely I will be wasting time on Instagram, Pinterest and Etsy instead. And then of course freelance work and my other usual follies.

In my dreams we will renovate our house this year - we even have the plans drawn up - but I think we will be too busy with everything else. So I might have to blow all our budget on a HUGE 40th birthday party (or series of parties). Yes that birthday is happening for me this year too! At first I was scared of it, but now I'm all BRING ON THE 40! Can't wait!

• Beci's book 'Find and Keep' is published by Hardie Grant and available in good bookstores or here.
• Check out Beci's website here and her blog here
• Raph runs Melbourne-based Taco Truck. Follow on Facebook (I do, and I don't even live there, I'm just living vicariously).

Want even more good news? The very good folk at Hardie Grant - together with Beci are kindly giving away three very awesome copies of 'Find and Keep'. 

To enter, all you have to do is comment on this post, and tell me why you need 'Find and Keep' in your life. 


Terms and conditions: 
- Open to Australian residents only.  
- Entries are open from Monday 4th March - closing Sunday 10th March 2013 at midnight. Three winners will be announced on Monday 11th March.
- One entry per person
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This is the sixth interview in my Yo Mama! series. Interviews with creative working mamas. Look out for them weekly. 

images courtesy of Beci's website and via Save the Children website.