The temperature here has dropped. By dropped, I mean dived head fist into the single digits.  In the space of  one week we have gone from having the fan on to digging out the blankets.  As the seasons change so does our home.  Different spaces need adapting, organising and replenishing.

When Organising for Winter I start with…..

THE BEDROOMS

Target - Dotty Flannelette Sheet Set

Blankety Beds.  I have two sets of bedding for the kids bedrooms.  Winter and Summer.  For Winter I replace their cotton fitted and top sheets with cozy flanellete.  As I went to do this I realised this would be the first Winter Miss A was not in a cot!  So I purchased these great basic flanellete sheet sets for her bed.  For now I am leaving their coverlets on the bed and adding a thicker blanket on top.  By July I know I will have to get out the thicker quilt covers.

Target - 2 Pk of Holeproof Socks.

Building On the Basics.  This is a great time to restock the kids wardrobes with the basics.  It has been a year since we have needed so many singlets and socks and in that time My Pigeon Pair have GROWN! For Master O I stock up on plain white singlets. These are great for under school uniforms. Little Miss A I can get a little fancier and get a range of white, pink, purple.  I also restock their sock collection.  I find multipacks offer the next value for money and I like to buy at least 5 pairs of socks each.  Socks are a one wear item, take longer to dry and get extra filthy, hence needing 5 pairs! This time of year I also buy the kids a pair of new slippers each.  To help extend the wrdrobe budget I also grab a few plain long sleeved shirts for layering.  They can be worn under a summer pinafore dress, with a summer skirt or under a t-shirt, to give the summer wardrobes a little stretch into winter. With all of these new items coming into bedrooms it also important to cull the old!

15 L Storage Container - Target

Storage. Starting with the socks and singlets I sort, cull and store.  Any socks that are too small, I donate.  Any that are small but I think I could pass on to friends later, I store. I try to do this before buying anything new.  It’s amazing to find that you have items that you had bought, not used and forgotten about! Unfortunately having a “pigeon pair” means that there is rarely anything to pass down, within our family! I also use this time to put cull, sort and store the past seasons clothes.  Little Miss A actually had a whole contianer of clothes that I am sure will still fit this next summer!  I simply took them out of her wardrobe and put them into a storage container. I labelled it with it’s sizes and season e.g Summer Size 3-4.  

Vacuum bags are great for long term storage. Like the clothes that are too small to wear but to good to throw.  But for clothes that we may need occasionally during the current season I like to use a plastic storage container. My trick is to buy a storage container smaller than I think I will need!  It forces me to be more brutal with my culling and is easier to fit and lift on top of the wardrobes.  I like the 15L ones from Target as they are sturdy, clear (not smokey) and have great lids.  They are also only $7!!!

The bedrooms are now “Winterfied”with freshly made winter beds, to cosy up into on a cool night.  Now if anyone knows how to keep “My Pigeon Pair” in their own cosy beds and out of mine let me know! 

This is a SPONSORED POST.  I was paid by Target to give my own opinion and advice on Organising for Winter. 

I must admit I am not a breakfast eater. I know, I know, it’s the most important meal of the day, but in the midst of the morning rush, I often simply forget to have breakfast.  

Breakfast in our house has to be quick, easy and be able to sustain two very energetic children until morning tea time.  Toast, doesnt quite fill them up, cereal is good but on a chilly winter’s morning (it was 1 degree here yesterday) nothing is as good as a bowl of warm oats! 

Hubby has long preapred “porridge” for himself and master O.  Let me say “prepare” as in with military precision, in which the perfect amount of oats to water ratio is achieved, they soak over night and are then cooked to perfection with constant stirring on the stove top.  SERIOUSLY!  So unless he is here to make breakfast, “Porridge” is not happening. Ain’t nobody got time for that!

So in an effort to try the whole porridge making caper, I did my homework.  I have been assured there is really no need to “soak” my oats over night and even in fact you can make porridge in the microwave!  That’s more my style.  So introducing  The My Pigeon Pair version of a “Porridge ” breakfast.

1. Take UNCLE TOBYS Oats Quick Sachets.

2. Add milk or Water to fill line

3. Microwave for just 90 seconds, stir and allow to cool slightly before serving.

Yep it was seriously that easy!

 OR YOU can add step number 4 and get all fancy like me and decorate!

You read right!  I love to decorate the porridge! If it only takes me 90 seconds to make, then I can surely spend another 30 seconds making breakfast fun!

• I am talking Honey Smiley Face with Sultana eyes and nose!
• Banana Letter O especially for Master O.  I cut the banana into pieces and put them into an O shape on top of the porridge.
• A Milo “Love Heart” using my cappucino stencil!

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 I must admit I am late to the Washi Tape Party.  I watched on as blogger after blogger fell in love with the stuff and found a million different ways to use it.  But I sat by and put it in the too complicated basket.  Would it come off if I didn’t like it?  What would I use it for?  I am not only often creatively challenged but I am also impulsive and impatient and seriously easily addicted to things.  I am afraid my friends Washi Tape is no different.

So let’s start with the obvious…..

What is Washi Tape?

 Washi Tape is a little like masking tape.  It is easily applied and removed and can also be ripped instead of cut.  But inlike masking Tape it is BEAUTIFUL!  It comes in an amazing array of colours and patterns.

What can I use Washi Tape for?

How long is a piece of tape?  You can use it for a million different things but I will start with 10!!!

Organising Cups at a Party! Can’t remember whose cup belongs to who? How about some washi tape to help identify the owner! Or use some colour coordinating tape to help decorate some simple plastic cups for the next children’s Birthday party!

Reuse any can or jar by decorating it with washi tape. Great for pencils, utensils even cutlery. Cheap and beautiful.

Washi tape is so easy to remove it is great for decorating walls. This is such a clever way to frame artwork in a childrens bedroom or play space.

A basic photo frame can be colour co-ordinated and personalised to suit any decor with some Washi Tape!

OK so this would be time consuming, but oh how creative AND effective! A Washi Tape Keyboard!

Washi Tape adds interest and colour to these simple glass jars. Group them together, add candles or flowers and you have a gorgeous table centrepiece.

A simple wood or cardboard letter, covered in washi tape and attached to a frame makes a great piece of monogram artwork. This would make a great present!

You know how much I love colour coding my calendar and planner! Next year I am going to use wash tape instead of pens! Assign a different colour for each family member or for each different activity.

How cute is this! I am thinking cake top decoration, children’s bedrooms or seasonal table decorations!

and my very first project with washi tape was inspired by this one!

Washi Tape on bulldog clips! I have used them to help colour code my filing system!

Lastly…

Where can I buy Washi Tape?

Well you, the readers told me that one, you put me onto… 

www.chibirun.com

They had an amazing range, great prices and quick delivery!  Even better, they had a whole other range of goodies including the cutest stationary and gorgeous  organising bits and pieces, perfect for my new home office!

Just some of my new collection!

So what have you used Washi Tape for? 

It all started with this desk.  

It has found many spaces to live within our house but never found it’s rightful home.

We found ourselves doing Master O’s homework all over the house, but never at his desk.  His homework required strict supervision and assistance so we needed to wrok in a space big enough for both of us! However, the new school has more structured homework, allowing Master O to complete many tasks independently, so at last the desk started to get a work out!  We moved it out of our “Command Centre” and into my office.  It is the perfect place!  We can work together at my big desk and then he can literally roll on his chair over to his new study nook to work independently.  It also gives him a great quiet, drawing space.

But a study nook is not just a desk.  He needs all of his “tools” at his fingertips.

Firstly I made a list of what this nook needed to contain.

• Reference Charts
• Homework Book
• Handwriting Book
• Coloured Pencils
• Lead Pencils, Eraser, Sharpener
• Glue and Scissors.

I was looking for a way to store all of these items wothout cluttering up his workspace.  The desk is only small and once he has his scrapbook size homework book is open there isn’t a lot of room for anything else!

I love a good rail and bucket system.  We have used this method of storage before at our craft table and it works brilliantly! It makes it easy to tidy up as everything has a place and leaves the bench free for working! 

This Bygel rail and plastic buckets from Ikea was literally cheap as chips. 

But the new study nook is in a shared space and I wanted something a little more grown up! 

The Fintorp rail system is just as useful but a whole lot more sophisticated.  It is also a little more expensive.  The Fintorp system is designed for use in the Kitchen, hence the items names!  But works to house anything brilliantly!  In fact I think this would work brilliantly in a bathroom or laundry! 

The large condiment stand, stores his Homework book, handwriting book and a clipboard with reference charts.

The small cutlery stands are great for pencils, scissors, glue etc.

A perfect solution for our little learners tools.

Now Master O has a spot to work, within reach of me, but away from the distractions of the rest of the house.  It is such a light and bright room and I love having my little assistant share my work space. 

Turns out you all would love a ROBOMAID!

What a huge competition!

AND THE WINNER IS…..

CONGRATULATIONS JACINTA!!!!

Please email mypigeonpairblog@gmail.com

Stay tuned for another BIG GIVEAWAY next week!

It’s that time of year again, when I create a long list of wishes for Mother’s day…..Wishes I say as really I would be lucky to get a sleep in! 

This is one of the Classic’s I have never gotten too! I would love to read it before I see the movie.  The fact that it has a gorgeous cover and would look great on my bedside table is a bonus.  

I’m loving PINK at the moment and these trellis print cushions are calling my name.  Would love some hot colour to warm up our winter living room.

Because I just know that I will get some time to read on Mother’s Day I would love to indulge in some decorating books. These three are on the top of my list at the moment. 

Because a girl can dream.  I would really LOVE a new handbag.  But after yesterday spilling the whole contents of a childs drink bottle in my current bag, I think the designer variety will have to wait a few years. 

Whilst I am dreaming I still havent gotten the coffee machine I was lusting over last year!

However I would easily settle, for a Sleep In, Hot Coffee and Eggs Benedict in bed and a quiet read of a few home magazines.  It’s the little things.

What are you lusting over for Mother’s Day? 

One of the perks of building our own home was that it came equipped with a “VacuMaid” in built Vaccuum system.  Or so we thought.  After years of almost daily use, the system died and we then realised how expensive it would be to replace.  Since then we have gone from cheap Vaccuum to cheaper vacuum.. Each has had its good points, but unfortunately none of them did everything well.  Then this arrived……

We have a large house, with a combination of tiles, carpet and rugs.  This house will put the Robomaid through its paces! 

What I LOVED…

Ease of Use – So its a robot.  I thought this might mean that I would require an aeronautical degree to read the instructions and operate the machine!  I was so wrong.  I simply plugged the dock in, charged the machine and then pressed play.  The Instruction manual is clear and easy to understand.  I played around with a few different settings including; following the walls, zig zag and spot cleaning.

The Robomaid can effortlessly fit under furniture.

Perfect Transitions - I think this is what I had been sceptical about.  Could it go from tiles to rug and back again?  Would it get stuck on the furniture?  No and NO! We have a thick rug on the Living room floor and the Robomaid easily transitioned from tiles onto rug and down again.  It did bump against furniture especially the dining room chairs but it then reversed and went around them!  The Robomaid is so compact it even effortlessly slid under our buffet unit. 

It followed the wall to go in and around corners.

Great Strength and Coverage –  I was pleasantly surprised how much this small and light machine picked up.  It seems to map the room and zig zags from space to space.  It didn’t pick up every single bit of rubbish.  SOme spots were missed, but considering it was not a human cleaning I thought the coverage was good.  It really pays to attach the little side sweepers and I found this helped with getting right into the edges.

I can now do two jobs at once!

The Time Factor –  Yes it does take longer to clean a space than it would to vacuum with a standard vaccuum cleaner.  But it’s not my time!  I can set it and forget it.  Or even better I follow it from room to room with my steam mop!  I am getting the floors done in half the time.  I especially like the set and forget mode for the upstairs bedrooms.  I can leave it in a small room whilst I go on the school run and cross one more housewrok job off the list.

Spaces – The robomaid worked well in both our open plan areas and smaller rooms.  The open plan areas naturally took longer to clean and were not cleaned has thoroughly as the smaller rooms.  I would love to play around more with the “invisible wall” function.  This helps section off certain areas and prevents it from falling down the stairs! I think this would help achieve a better clean in the open areas.

Noise – The RoboMaid was actually quieter than our VacuuMaid!

For me the biggest plus is the fact that I can use my time on other jobs around the house whilst the Robomaid does the vacuuming.  I also love that it is so easy to take up stairs, place in bathrooms or bedrooms and can easily transition form tiles to carpet to rugs.  I dont think it will replace a larger vacuum cleaner all together.  I would still like to do one big thorough vaccuum once a fortnight and get into the window sills, between the fridge etc.  But overall, I LOVE IT!  Now I have to change My Cleaning Schedule! 

If I love it, I know you will love it to so we are GIVING ONE AWAY!!!!

Simply enter VIA Rafflecopter below and tell us…..

What feature of the Robomaid do you love the most?

What a great Mother’s Day Present!!!

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For as long as I can remember I associated my “what do I do” with my paid employment. This was also my means of placing value on myself.  To add value, I needed to work harder, longer and climb the ladder.  Without my job who would I be? Would I have any value?  

Well this year, away from the confines of my workplace, I found out…..

I am the midnight retriever…. of blankies, glasses of water, doses of medicine and soft toys that seek the solitude of the crack between the bed and the wall rather than the comfort of their loved ones arms.

I am the applier…..Of band aids, ice, and carefully crafted truth. Knowledge sifted for useful age appropriate information that will enhance and not harm. Of punctuation in ill written, but lovingly built, 6 year old sentences. Of consequences when all else fails.  Of boundaries that are at times a little too flexible. 

I am the repairer…of Transformer missile deployment systems, lego creations broken by fumbling hands and maimed barbies with matted hair.   Of crushed spirits, burdened hope and broken hearts. 

I am the seeker….of playground disagreement justice, of incident reports from all squabbling parties and the apologies that follow.  Of lost things, socks, buttons, teddy noses, Lego lights and ninjago swords.

I am the navigator…through the often monotonous mundane, towards little pockets of daily parenthood joy.  Carefully steering towards the safe and righteous travels whilst allowing them to journey for themselves.

I am the believer…in the magical healing powers of mothers kisses, prayers to ward of nightmares and to help dreams come true. The tooth fairy, Easter bunny and Santa Claus. That these baby days will be over oh so fast and then, one day, the house will be clean, the washing all done and they just might remember fondly all that I do, and all that I am, to them.

That’s what I do. 

This is part of the blog Every Day in May project.  I wont be joining every day but this topic just spoke to me. 

 There is a little area of our home that needs some love.  It is a low buffet unit in our living room and I just can’t figure out how to decorate it.  Last week at West Elm I spied some gorgeous trays.  I love the way using a tray can group random items together to make it look like a gorgeous vignette! Trays are also a great way to keep items organised! Using a tray helps control the clutter as it provides a confined space for it to live. 

Now for the ‘pin’spiration…….

Think outside the tray. These are test tubes! This looks like an amazing thrift store find, decorated with a simple, single bloom each!

A vintage tray, filled with glasses of assorted shapes but similar size, topped with such amazing flowers.  What a gorgeous centrepiece this would make to any able setting.

 

Source: blog.amyatlas.com via Larissa on Pinterest

Source: centsationalgirl.com via Larissa on Pinterest

That blue lattice urn is just striking! This little vignette would be great in a bathroom or guest room.

This is a great example of how varying vases are all “brought together” by using a tray, plate, frame.

My favourite colour! Such a random scatter of tiny jars but it looks perfect!

Source: rivieramaison.com via Larissa on Pinterest

 LOVE LOVE LOVE!

I saw a display similar to this at pottery barn and it would be perfect for my wooden buffet. 

Source: bhg.com via Larissa on Pinterest

 

Tidy up any space and keep it organised with a tray to confine the clutter! 

Now I think a trip to a few thrift stores must be planned for later this week to find a tray and some cute recycled glass vases! Anyone else got a tray display they can show me? Which one is your favourite?

Just when you thought my Pottery Barn posts were over!

I am only half way through my tour!

Pottery Barn Kids shares some floor space with Pottery Barn.  These two stores were the ones I was most excited to explore.  So what do I love about Pottery Barn Kids.  Of course I could go on and on but the one thing I have ordered before and will be ordering again is the Bedroom Linen and Decor.

Americans just know how to dress a bed.  I have struggled to find complete bedding sets in Australia especially, cot skirts.  I cna not put into words how divine the Nursery bedding is and the rugs!   At last you can buy a COMPLETE set of matching bedding including pillow shams, bed skirts, curtains, wall art and even rugs.  Not only that but the styles are classic and will grow with your child.  Versatility is the key to good nursery design and no one does versatile like Pottery Barn Kids.

Do you see what I mean about COMPLETE sets?  The rugs are like nothing else on the Australian market and AFFORDABLE!  Most of the cots convert and the furniture is designed to create easy transitions from Nursery to Toddler to Child rooms. 

 I just had to show you the Tulle Bed skirt and matching rug! 

The Retro Play Kitchens will give a certain Swedish Supplier a run for their money!

Check out those “Anywhere” chairs.  With removable, washable and durable covers that can be monogrammed.

Sorry Jen!  This was the only photo I got of the gorgeous rugs!  You can check out Jen from The Interiors Addict post HERE

The children’s bedding was just as gorgeous.  The layered beds are great for Australian Climates as you can dress your bed according to the weather.  It also allows you to build up a set over time.  

The canopies can be created in various ways depending on your preference.  The canopy itself comes in a variety of colours and then you can add accessories such as tulle bows or butterflies as you like. 

My photos do not do it justice! 

The Boys bedding did not disappoint. Although I was not as taken with the boys display on further inspection of the shelves there was a variety of both Licensed and classic bedding. 

As nice as the girls stuff?  No.  But better than what we currently have in Australia? Yes.

Pottery Barn Kids, Bondi store will also offer events for children including tea parties, storytime sessions and seasonal craft. Check online for bookings.

Children are made to feel at home in the store and encouraged to play, touch and enjoy. Their are instore children’s bathrooms, a lift for prams and plenty of space.

Pottery Barn Kids have the price point right, an understanding of their customers needs and have created a personalised and hands on experience of shopping with children. 

We are making progress people, slow but steady.