A few Cheap & Cheerful Spring Buys...

Well the sun was shining here in Melbourne over the weekend, it was such a gorgeous taste of Spring.

 

Of course now that Spring is officially here today (yay!), Melbourne is back to being Winter again!!

 

While the sun was out, I did a quick little trip to my very favourite store - Kmart - yesterday and picked up a few bargain Spring buys...

 

 

I know that so many of you love K-Mart (and bargains) just as much as me, so I thought I would share a few of my buys...

 

Pom Pom Scarf: $10.00.

I loved the navy spot and floral pattern print on this one. Can definitely see me teaming this up with one of my 456,897 navy and white striped tops and dresses!

 

Shoes: $17.00 (reduced from $25.00).

I live in Nude Patent leather flats and a comfy and cute pair is super hard to come by. Am wondering if I should have purchased two and stashed a pair away?!

 

Wallet: $9.00 (reduced from $12.00).

This was my absolute favourite buy of the day. My Kate Spade Polka Dot wallet kicked the bucket after a very short life - sob, sob.

This wallet is the perfect, size, shape, colour and price. I was fully expecting to pay the $12 and it scanned at $9 - it was meant to be!!

 

Hat: $9.00.

Every year without fail I pick up a new straw hat number from K-Mart. These are perfect for lazy afternoons in the backyard with the kiddos or trips to the beach or park.

 

All up $45.00 for 4 essential Spring Items - very happy with that.

 

Next up is a few new Spring clothes...

 

What is on your shopping list for Spring? Anyone else find that they do all of their shopping for kids, but neglect themselves?!

Win a 3 Month Fix thanks to Monthly Fix

Thank goodness it is Friday hey?! What better way to kick off a weekend, than with a giveaway?! And it is a fabulous giveaway at that...

 

Thanks to the lovely folks at Monthly Fix, one lucky reader is going to be experiencing the ultimate monthly indulgence that is Monthly Fix, by winning a 3 month subscription valued at $99.00.

 

If you missed my post on this amazing new way to treat yourself (or others), you definitely need to read all about it right here.

 

To enter, simply follow the Rafflecopter prompts below.

Please note that there are 2 mandatory steps to enter, you must:

 

1. Like the Utterly Organised Facebook Page

2. Like the Monthly Fix Facebook Page

 

Simple right?!

 

Enter Here

a Rafflecopter giveaway   

Terms and Conditions

- The giveaway will be hosted by Rafflecopter and is open to Australian residents only
- The announcement of the lucky winner will be made on the Utterly Organised Facebook Page
- The lucky winner will have 5 days to contact Utterly Organised and claim their prize
- Failure to claim prize within designated period will result in another winner being drawn
- Entrants must like the Utterly Organised Facebook Page and the Monthly Fix Facebook page. Failure to comply with both entry requirements will result in an entrants entry being disqualified
- Any questions on the competition can be directed to utterlyorganised@gmail.com

Good luck everyone! The lucky winner will be drawn next weekend, so if you are feeling generous you can pass this on to your Dad for Father's Day - it really is the perfect gift!!

 

Experience Something New with Monthly Fix

Monthly Fix is a genius new idea when it comes to spoiling your loved ones - or yourself!

 

Aimed at being a smart and simple way to experience something different each month, it certainly does that.

 

Much like the monthly beauty gift boxes which have gained popularity, Monthly Fix is instead aimed bringing you food and beverage based indulgences that will delight the taste buds!

 

You simply decide on the length of your subscription, and you are done! The fix is then delivered to you (or your lucky recipient) around the middle of each month for the period that you choose.

Fixes can be Chocolate, Wine, Tea, Coffee or Superfood based. It is just like a  Lucky Dip - now who doesn't love those?!

Of course if you have any dietary requirements (like needing gluten free), just let the lovely folks at Monthly Fix know, and they will cater for you.

 

 

Subscription terms can be a one off, 3, 6 or 9 month term. Prices start from as little as $35.00 for a one month fix (this also includes packaging and postage too), making it an affordable and personal option for gifting occasions - or just to spoil yourself!

 

Monthly fix will send you products that are unique and sourced from small batch producers and manufacturers that you won't find at your local Supermarket. The quality of the products is second to none, and you are sure to discover new favourites - I have!

Being an absolute sweet tooth, I was super excited when my first 'fix' arrived in the post last week. I was extremely impressed with the packaging and also the products.

 

 

My fix included the most amazing hot chocolate from Mork - Dark Milk and River Salt - oh my goodness talk about heaven in a mug!! Also in my package was a divine little whisk that proudly sits on my bench, it is too pretty to put away!

 

I don't know about you but my Dad is absolutely impossible to buy for (aren't they all?!). The montly fix takes the hard work out of trying to come up with a unique and loved alternative to the old socks and jocks with Father's Day only a few weeks away.

This would also make the most amazing Chrissie gift for family, friends and Corporate Clients alike.

 

Like to try it for yourself? Or perhaps to give to Dad for Father's Day? Well stay tuned, as I will have one 3 month fix valued at $99.00 to give away to one lucky reader tomorrow.... For now, I am off to brew up some more of that gorgeous hot chocolate to help me get through today after a week with a sick bub!

 

Roadtesting the Epson PrescisionCore Printer

{Brought to you by Nuffnang and Epson}

 

In the market for a new printer? Confused about what to buy? Inkjet or Laser? Yup me too!

 

I was recently asked if I would like the opportunity to road test Epson's new line of Inkjet Printers - the PrecisionCore Range - and I literally couldn't have jumped any higher to say yes! I have had a new home printer on the 'wish' list for quite some time...

When I was told that this printer claimed to deliver better quality, better performance and lower costs than even a standard Laser printer - without costing an arm and a leg - I was intrigued to give this a go!

 

 

I must confess that the printer is the one gadget in my home that I cannot live without. With my little business, Utterly Organised Events, I need, and use, a printer heck of a lot (understatement of the century!).

On a daily basis I can be found printing off client paperwork such as invoices and hire agreements. I am also regularly required to print up party pintables for my clients, such as table signs and tags for the candy jars. 

The above picture shows you a wee sneak preview of some of the gorgeous printed goodies from Memories are Sweet for Miss C's Christening next month!

If you regularly follow my blog, you will know that I also do a fair bit of printing around the home too. I create my own little tags and labels to organise areas of our home such as the kids' rooms, bathroom and our laundry too.



Since I had the opportunity of trying out this new printer, I thought that I would whip up some little tags to organise Miss C's nursery a bit, what do you think?

Our little inkjet printer is fine when it comes to the 'general' odds and sods stuff that I print. But it really doesn't give a professional enough result for me to use it for the event artwork. Instead I usually resort to the local printer, which let me tell you, with a toddler and a baby in tow, is usually far from fun!

 

As the pictures above show, the print quality is amazing. I definitely need a professional finish for my clients artwork, and that is exactly what the Epson delivers. This machine enables me to bypass the printers (sorry Officeworks!) and finally whip up professional looking documents at home, at a fraction of the cost.

This clever little machine also has the function to scan, copy and fax, which are capabilities that I do often need (apart from the fax part!).

 

I absolutely love that the Wifi connects without having to physically pop the plug in to my laptop. This is a great feature for me as the unit is quite large (and my desk is super small), and I can have it sit in my storage unit in my office, rather than taking over my entire desk space.

You can also hit print from your smartphone, tablet, I-phone or I-Pad - genius given how reliant we all are on the phone technology these days!

It may have been handy to include a USB cable with the unit, but I guess the main target market may be wanting the Wifi (like me!), so I don't see this as a great issue.
 

I road tested the entry level model (WF-3620) which retails for $249.00 and is available at retailers such as Officeworks and the Good Guys etc.

Don't forget if you love my Laundry Labels above, these are available (in two versions) for you to print and download for free here. 

Lazy Mum's Guide to Taking Care of you Hair!

{Brought to you in Conjunction with Sunsilk}

First up I am going to hit you with the cold, hard and somewhat shocking truth...

 

I wash my hair once a week! Twice a week tops if I have something super special on.

 

There I have said it!!

 

And to answer your question - no things never used to be like this pre-baby. I used to be preened and groomed on a daily basis. Heck I would even throw in a few days of soft waves for good measure!

 

But these days I am definitely one of those Mum's that would rather have sleep over a blow dried hair style - but each to their own!

 

Over the past few years of being a Mum, I have found a few products and learned a few tips and tricks that have been brilliant at taking care of my hair - without compromising a minute of sleep!

 

1. Dry Shampoo

 

If you have never tried this stuff, you seriously do not know what you are missing - it has saved my life!

 

You simply spritz on like a hairspray, wait a few moments and brush through. Be a bit vigilant with the brushing, otherwise you will look like you have coloured your tresses a very undesirable shade of grey (particularly if you are brunette!).

 

 

My Pick: I have tried and tested a few brands, but keep coming back to the Klorane brand for my Brunette locks. But do try a few and see what works best for your hair colour.

 

2. Wash Less

Now that you know my big secret that I don't wash my hair very often, I have to tell you that my hair has never looked better.

 

Gone is the frizz, the dryness and my hair grows super fast too.

 

I choose to wash on the weekends when hubby is home. I take my one and only long uninterrupted shower for the week and enjoy pampering myself and ending with a blow dry!

 

This is not going to be for everyone, but why not give it a go and definitely invest in a good shower cap for the days in between washes!

 

 

3. Mix It Up!

When I do wash my hair, I find that my hair responds (and looks) best when I mix up my shampoo and conditioners.

 

So I alternate between a Commercial (Sunsilk product) and a Salon range product (Kerastase). By doing this, I am not spending a fortune on hair care and I get amazing results when my hair is not so used to the one product all of the time.

 

My Tip: Sunsilk Long and Stronger - this stuff is seriously amazing (Google the reviews if you don't believe me)! Oh and Priceline have it for 50% off this week if you do want to give it a whirl!

Kerastate - pricey but when alternated between a Commercial brand it does go a long way! I love the Nutritive range, but look out for it on sale through a Discount Beauty online store. 

4. Invest

 

Do invest in great heat styling products such a hair straightener and a hair dryer.

 

Not only will a good dryer keep speed up the drying process, but it will give you a smooth and silky salon looking blow dry that will last for days.

 

 

My Tip: Parlux - these are expensive but will most likely be around forever!

 

For a Straightening Iron, you cannot go past a GHD or Cloud Nine. If you have thick hair (or a bit lazy like moi) go the wide plate - it speeds everything up!

 

5. Make friends with Elastic

 

Yup elastic bands are definitely a Mum's best friend!

 

But a polished pony, messy bun or top knot are always in style - so mix it up with different styles and don't be afraid to tie it back for the sake of getting a bit of sleep! Besides a glossy down 'do' will only end up sweaty, with baby sick and food in it, in no time flat!!

 

What are your hair care tips or must buy products? Love to hear what works for you?

Our Favourite Raspberry & White Chocolate Muffin Recipe

{Brought to you in Conjunction with Flora}

 

During my horrible pregnancy, all I craved to make me feel a little better was sweet foods. Give me muffins, cake, chocolate and custard and I was a happy (and not so sick) woman.

 

Now that our gorgeous little gal has arrived, I still haven't managed to shake my love for sugar just yet... yes even at 7 months old!!

 

This recipe for Raspberry & White Chocolate Muffins is one that I have been whipping up quite a lot lately. It is one of those recipes that I know off by heart, without actually having to look it up. It is so easy, works every time and gets the tick of approval from hubby too! 

 

 You'll Need...

• 3 Cups Self Raising Flour
• 3/4 Cup Caster sugar
• 1/2 Cup White Chocolate Chips
• 125g Melted Butter or Margarine (Flora Buttery is a fabulous cooking option is you are looking to lower saturated fat in foods)
• 1 Egg
• 1 Cup Milk
• 1/2 Cup Cream
• 1 Tsp vanilla essence
• 200g Raspberries (NB: I used Raspberries, but you can use Fresh Raspberries, Mixed Berries, Strawberries, Blueberries - whatever your little heart desires!) 

Method...

1. Preheat oven to 200 degrees
2. Sift Flour in to a Large Bowl and add in dry ingredients (Sugar & Choc Chips)
3. Melt Butter or Margarine and add to the Dry Ingredients along with Milk, Cream, Egg and Vanilla. Mix well
4. Add berries (fresh or frozen) taking care not to over mix (lumpy mixture is a good mixture with muffins!)
5. Pop mix in to your muffin trays
6. Bake for 20 - 22 minutes 
7. Enjoy!! 

Notes

• Makes approx. 24 Muffins
• These are DIVINE when fresh out of the oven with the chocolate all gooey- yummo!
• Last for approx. 2 days (if not eaten first!)
• I often halve the recipe as I love them when fresh and find that 12 is more than enough for snacks, lunch box for hubby etc for a few days

You can check out more of my favourite baking recipes here.

 

What is baking at your place this week?

Win! The Healthy Mummy 28 Day Weight Loss Challenge Giveaway

{Brought to you by Lose Baby Weight}

 

We have joined forces with The Healthy Mummy to give three lucky followers the chance to join September’s The Healthy Mummy 28 Day Weight Loss Challenge!

 

Now I am the first to admit that post baby, I am never in too much of a rush to shed the weight gained through pregnancy. I find that while of course I would love to fit back in to my pre-pregnancy clothes, that I would prefer to spend the first few months spending time with bub (and sleeping). Those first few months really do go far too quick ,and I am usually a tad tired to be worried about exercise and diet!! But now that we are at the 7 month mark (can you believe?!), I am looking forward to starting to get back in to some sort of a routine again so that I can get back in to my 'old favourites' in time for summer!

 

This amazing little program has been designed in conjunction with the best nutritionists, postnatal exercise physiologists, midwives, and most importantly - mums! The program is not only safe, affordable and personalised, but it is one that you can actually follow, stick to and manage to fit in to your busy daily life as well.

The Healthy Mummy 28 Day Weigh Loss Challenge is the perfect way for mums to lose weight, get fit and healthy, and support each other along the way.
 

The program features includes:

- Over one hundred 30 Minute Meals – designed by The Healthy Mummy’s expert dietitians and nutritionists

- A focus on a balanced and healthy diet – it does not cut out any food groups which I love!

- Family Friendly Recipes – the meals can easily be increased to feed the whole family which is just brilliant

- Convenient shopping lists – a shopping list that can be ordered online to save you time (and money!)

- Convenient exercises – no gym membership or equipment required; you can do everything at home at a time that suits you, with step-by-step images on how to do each exercise

- Achievable results – 28 days is a much more realistic target in my view

- An online support team and tracking dashboard, available 7 days a week – including a timer for interval training, both private and open forums, and daily tips.

 

To enter the giveaway, simply enter via the Rafllecopter prompts below. Entrants simply have to like the Utterly Organised Facebook Page - couldn't be easier.

 

Enter Here

 

a Rafflecopter giveaway

 

Terms & Conditions

- The giveaway will be hosted by Rafflecopter and is open to Australian residents only
- The announcement of the lucky winners (x 3) will be made on the Utterly Organised Facebook Page
- The lucky winners (x 3) will have 5 days to contact Utterly Organised and claim their prize
- Failure to claim prize within designated period will result in another winner being drawn
- Entrants must like the Utterly Organised Facebook Page. Failure to comply with entry requirements will result in an entrants entry being disqualified
- Any questions on the competition can be directed to utterlyorganised@gmail.com  

 

Of course if you’d rather sign up to The Healthy Mummy 28 Day Weight Loss Challenge straight away, visit the Lose Baby Weight website here. Don't delay as this kicks off on the 1st of September - can't believe just how close that is!

The 2015 Ikea Catalogue is now OUT!

The boys are out, Miss C is taking a nap (it is a miracle!) and I am about to check out the latest  2015 Ikea Australia Catalogue...

If you are just as excited as me, you can check it out yourself online here.

 

I am told that the actual hard copy hits stores in a few weeks. I love to have this little 'bible' in a safe spot on my desk for year round access - there is something I still love about physical magazines or catalogues compared to online - anyone else?

 

What are your favourites from the new range?

 

With a few new rooms to plan, I will be sure to post back with a few of mine - watch this space!!

 

Enjoy your weekend everyone!