Northside MamaMag October 2016 by MamaMag

NORTHSIDE

mamamag October 2016

WIN a $5oo GAP GIFT CARD Summer fashion Shopping with conscience Juice cleansing Missy Higgins Style identity

free Local fun for the Northside mum

I’M HARRISON 16.08.2016 | 3.25KG

BORN AT ST VINCENT’S PRIVATE HOSPITAL TO A

VERY HAPPY SANDRA & CHRIS

At St Vincent’s Private Hospital, we couldn’t be happier to bring new babies into the world, every single day. To find out about having your baby at St Vincent’s Private Hospital visit svphm.com.au/maternity

St Vincent’s Private Hospital Melbourne 59 Victoria Parade Fitzroy Vic 3065

P: (03) 9411 7111 F: (03) 9419 6582

www.svphm.org.au

@ SVPHMelb

/StVincentsPrivate

@StVincentsPrivate

A good start to learning.

Thereâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s so much for your child to learn in their first five years. We can help. It starts with a nurturing long day care environment. At Goodstart, we get to know your child and their personality. Then we design learning experiences to build on their special interests. Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s a good start to learning for life. Enquire about childcare and kindergarten vacancies at a Goodstart centre near you.

Giddyup! The footy is over and the Spring carnival season is upon us, it must mean fashion! Every year I swear I’m not going to attend the races, and I end up going back-to-back. I love the Moonee Valley twighlights especially. The thoroughbreds are in my bloodlines. My auntie, Gaye Gauci, was Victoria’s first female jockey and I spent many a school day at the country race meetings strapping my favourite horses. Gaye was the original Mumprenear to me, she shook the very foundations of an industry that did not make it easy for women. She was a little girl with a big dream who followed it to the moon despite the obstacles before her. She lit my entrepreneurial heart at an early age. What you don’t see amongst the glitz and glamour of race day in the birdcage tent, is the blood, sweat and tears and the love for the horses that goes on behind the scenes. And the fashion. How I love a good frock. We’ve got plenty of fashion inspo for you this month. I’m a bit excited to have Belinda from Sunday the Label as our Mama of the Month. Lotte has been dressed in her wares since she was 18 months old! Also at One Fine Baby VIP night, we loved listening to Kate Richie, Nat Bas, Carrie Bickmore and co. share their musings on motherhood and realised we are all just same same. No matter what professional uniform, Instagram filter or hair and makeup we put on. Stripped bare, we all deal with the same troubles and triumphs and there is solace in that shared unity. Hug your village tight. Inside we had a chat to Falls Festival founder and man responsible for the exciting family-friendly Lost Lands festival happening in October. Expect art, workshops, engaging activities for the kids and parents with Werribee mansion and the zoo as its neighbour. We are beyond pumped for the festy. Missy Higgins also stopped by this month, she’ll be at Lost Lands too, as will the Waifs and some great acts for the kids such as Children are Sticky, Laughing Yoga and the Little Stevies. We’ll be hiring a Kombi and traveling in real festival style! If you see a canary kombi parked in the campsite, come and say Hola! Enjoy the beaming rays and longer days as we begin the last quarter – the silly season. I got a dose of sunshine early with a family holiday on the Gold Coast & Sunshine Coast. Holiday nostalgia was everywhere! The sun is so uplifting, soak in the beams and let your own rays shine!

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Cover image by Jasmyne Tomlinson @quinn.and.theo

Contents Shopping with a conscience 6 How to make informed choices Parklife 8 Doug Hull Space Adventure Park Juicy Couture 10 Mama does a juice cleanse Spring into Summer 12 Mama’s fashion picks for little girls Mama can cook 14 Italian inspired, don’t forget the wine Lost with Missy 16 We meet new mum Missy Higgins Pre-natal peak 18 How you can get it back Cots for tots 20 St Kilda mums need your help Help children make friends 22 How you can help Mama of the month 24 Fashionista Belinda Sunday Lovely Locals 26 We explore High Street Thornbury Spring has sprung 28 Time to spring clean? Into the Lost Lands 30 We meet Festival director Simon Daly Fun in the sun 32 How to protect your kids Summer loving 34 Our Summer fashion favourites On the trail 36 Joining the garage sale trail Redefining your style identity 38 Four tips to success A fresh take on Spring makeup 40 Tips from an expert Little dreamers 42 A young carer’s story Super quick beauty 44 We’ve got you covered Colour & WIN 45 WIN Play-Doh party cake sets Turn the page 46 Top children’s book picks

MamaMag October 2016

WIN a $5oo GAP gift card Shop till you drop at either Melbourne Central or Chadstone Gap stores with $500 to spend on Gap, GapKids or babyGap products! Visit our Facebook page to enter

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MamaMag is published monthly for the mums of Melbourne’s North by Grizzle Design Pty Ltd. ABN: 26 042 138 550. PO Box 8018 Brighton East VIC 3187 Phone: 1300 771 446 Email: info@mamamag.com.au www.mamamag.com.au 10,000 copies monthly in Melbourne’s North inc. Moonee Valley, Darebin, Moreland Yarra and Banyule. Editor in Chief: Sarah Cavalier Northside Editor: Kirsty Chick National Key Account Manager: Justine Whatmore Northside Advertising Sales: Tennille McKelvie tennille@mamamag.com.au Like to contribute an article submission or products for Facebook giveaways? submissions@mamamag.com.au For advertising enquiries: download our media kit from www.mamamag.com.au or email info@mamamag.com.au The opinions expressed herein are not necessarily those of the publishing staff. Reproduction in whole or part is prohibited without permission of the publishers. Health related articles are designed to be informative and educational. They are not intended to provide specific medical advice or replace one-on-one advice from your health practitioner.

shopping with We are overwhelmed with choice when it comes to shopping for our children, and ourselves. It is a joyful experience buying clothes for our delicious newborns and kids, and scientists have now proven that shopping can result in neurological pleasure. Navigating fashion brands, and seeking out clothes which align with our personal principles, however, can be harder than you may think. Here are some tips to recognise and support ethically conscious brands.

Make informed choices “Ethical” “Conscious” and “Sustainable” are hot words in the fashion sphere, and many brands will maintain that they are improving their processes, and are aware of their social and environmental responsibilities. However, the best way to learn about your favorite brand’s practices is to research, and ask questions. Most brands have a section on their website detailing their ethics or code of conduct. Ethical businesses are transparent about their production, workers’ wages and conditions, and have strict environmental and social standards. If your favourite label does not list this information, email Customer Care, or ask an in-store staff member. Knowledge is power, and it’s also addictive. If a brand is guarded about their processes, they may be on the long list of businesses that are not even aware of their own supply chains, or worse, have questionable business practices.

Invest over fast fashion A survey conducted in 2015 by Barnados UK found that the majority of women’s clothes are worn only seven times before throwing them away. Our culture of “fast fashion” has resulted in record-breaking wastefulness, which is not only bad for the environment, but also for our finances. The many rewards of buying ethical, high quality, and locally designed garments, instead of mass-produced five dollar tees

a conscience include longer lasting clothes, cost efficiency (cost per wear), supporting local and sustainable industries, superior shape, quality conservation for future “hand me downs”, and more individual designs. Often ethical brands cost the same as other labels, but are not as visible with a bricks and mortar storefront. It is worth looking online for alternatives. Shopping ethically is not as impulsive, but is definitely a more fulfilling experience.

Choose natural fibres The fabric content of your new clothes should be thoroughly detailed on the interior care tag. Always read the label before buying, and choose clothes made from natural fibres, where possible. Organic textiles such as hemp, linen blends and bamboo have become very popular in many sustainable and luxury brands, and use little to no agricultural pesticides. They also do not need synthetic dyes or chemicals in production. Organic wool is another good option, as it ensures the animals are not exposed to toxins, and farmers adhere to sustainable practices. Fairtrade and organic cotton is a very popular and important fabric, as conventional cotton farming leaves a heavy carbon and social footprint. The use of recycled synthetic fibres such as polyester is rising, as it’s versatile, weather resistant, and counterbalances some of the wastefulness in large scale clothing production. There are many beautiful and affordable labels available to us, and choosing brands with a strong ethical and environmental conscience not only sets a great example, but also conserves the earth for our children’s future. By Verity Wood, Womenswear Designer, verity wood Veritywood.com

Parklife Doug Hull Space Adventure Park, Coburg Lake Reserve Cnr Champ Street and Murray Road, Coburg We love a lakeside oasis and Coburg Lake Reserve fits the brief perfectly. Here you will fine not one, but two fun playgrounds to explore. We spent the majority of our time at Doug Hull Space Adventure Park at Lake Grove. Park at Lake Grove, off Gaffney Street for best access and follow the rising rocket ship peeping over the trees to your adventure destination. The rocket ship is the real drawcard here with several twisting metal slides jutting out of it. Get ready to plummet to earth! The “smaller” slide is fairly straight, opening up into a flat area at the bottom while the higher, faster slide has a big twist as you slide down. Perhaps a little too adventurous or frightening for little kids. If you have a toddler, there’s a smaller plastic

playhouse and a medium sized structure for slightly older babes with a climbing frame and double slide, wobbly bridge, monkey bars and a small flying fox. Our favourite, the basket swing is also here – along with some springers dotted throughout. Take a stroll along the park and over the wooden bridge to the opposite side of the lake where you will find high up on the hill, Carr Street playground. There’s a flying fox, slides, a double springer see-saw, a circle of swings, a large scale twister and a large spin dial. We also really love the artistic and colourful outdoor lounge room that littlies will be drawn towards. Or course, we are surrounded by beautiful grass and parkland here so don’t forget to pack a picnic.

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Juicy Couture After a Melbourne Winter filled with decadence (yes! I have a husband who cooks [sorry not sorry]), I weighed in and decided that it was most definitely time for a ‘Wintervention’. A juice cleanse seemed like the perfect remedy to overcome my gluttony. In a world where trends come and go, the latest trend of pressed juices has hit the world with a massive impact. Tailoring your juices to your own tastes and according to what benefits you are seeking has become increasingly popular. And as we all struggle to find time these days, having it all pre-prepared is an added bonus. Not unlike a fashion label, at nearly every shopping precinct there are designer pressed juice stores offering cleanses, healthy treats and a huge variety of juices for you to purchase catering to every taste and health benefit. In 2008 I travelled Eastern Europe with my then partner - now husband. We not only returned engaged, but ten kilos heavier! It was then I discovered ‘Jump Start’, a 7-day juice cleanse book and immersed myself in the world of juicing. Those first 7 days I felt so fantastic they actually turned into 28 and that holiday weight dropped! Over the years since, I’ve returned to the juice cleanse whenever I felt I was getting off track. So back to my ‘Wintervetion’… When the opportunity arose to trial the ‘Pressed Juices’ Company 3 day cleanse’ I jumped at the prospect of being able to wipe the slate clean and maybe even begin the reduction of my newly acquired ‘love handles’. To sweeten the deal, the juices are all freshly made with so many amazingly delicious ingredients and combinations. So no more daily trips to my greengrocer for kilos and kilos of fresh fruit and vegetables and no more washing of my juice extractor 8 times a day either. It’s definitely no mess, no fuss. The bottles are even numbered for you so you drink them in the correct order.

So it’s 7am Friday, and I’m meeting the upbeat, informative and gorgeous Bianca at my local Pressed Juices store. I feel really motivated and leave with tips, FAQs, 16 different juices and even a bundle of straws to keep me going. By morning tea I’ve already had 3 great tasting juices and smoothies and my ‘system’ is already clearly feeling the benefits! Some cold-pressed green juices followed and to be honest, with such a high dose of vegetables, they don’t normally taste great, but the lime and pineapple really took the edge off. By cocktail hour I was enjoying the Zest 4: coconut, lemon, cucumber and pineapple. Did someone say ‘cocktails’! Honestly, stick an umbrella in this one and a dash of rum and you‘d have a pretty nice cocktail. It is so like a Pina Colada. No wait, this is a detox story right… OK, so this is yum. It’s refreshing and you can taste every single ingredient in this juice. Make it fun by pouring it into a cocktail glass and add a sprig of mint. Find a quiet corner (if you have one) and sip to your heart’s content. I am instantly transformed. I’ll definitely be having this one again. By 8pm I still have 2 juices to go, and remember Bianca’s advice to space each one throughout the day as evenly as possible. It’s time for the one I’ve been hanging out all day for, the Chocolate Almond Milk, with filtered water, almonds, dates, raw cacao and sea salt. It is just what I needed, without all the guilt. Finally 10pm and I feel in need of something warm. It’s a ‘health tonic’ called ‘The Sour Cherry’ that includes alkaline water, Montmorency cherry, Nopal cactus (whatever that is!), lemon balm and lavender. I heat it up and drink it like a soothing tea. End of Day 1. Day 2 starts late after a sleep in, and although similar to Day 1, I struggle to get through them all, surprisingly feeling not all that hungry, just more energised. I think the experience of the pre-cleanse and my ‘cleansing history’ are serving me well. If you go in ‘cold turkey’, those first few days can be really tough while your body restores its natural balance and eliminates

all those built up toxins. I also noticed my usual nagging back pain was gone, something I had grown to accept over the past few years. Treat your body well, and it responds! With a temperature of 12 degrees outside and a pot of soup simmering on the stove (clearly not for me), I ventured back to the store to collect my juices for Day 3. As these juices are made fresh, they have a very short shelf life of 2 to 3 days (this is a good thing). I decided when I got there that after consuming the same routine of juices for the first 2 days, I was ready to change it up a bit. I swapped several of my juices to include the purity smoothie as my breakfast drink of choice. As I was soon to find out, it was jam packed full of flavour with mandarin, fennel, spinach, mango, rainbow chard, basil and watercress. Thick, tangy and the mandarin flavour was beautiful. Imagine buying all of these ingredients and doing it yourself… you couldn’t do it well if you tried. And being a chai drinker, I spotted the ‘Spiced Almond Milk’ so thought that I’d give that a whirl to end my cleanse on day 3. This was every bit as delicious as it sounds with filtered water, almonds, dates, cardamon, cinnamon, nutmeg and vanilla bean. Definitely a cleanse highlight. So my thoughts... give it a go! Alternatively, if a cleanse isn’t for you, there is a healthy and tasty selection of gorgeous food including sushi made with quinoa and of course plenty of sweet treats that are filled with love and goodness and no nasties. You can even just incorporate a delicious juice, smoothie, tonic or milk into your everyday lifestyle. The choice is yours. And the results for me were fantastic… I have clearer skin, more energy and have re-charged myself. I’ve juiced myself back to a healthier lifestyle. My slate is squeaky clean. By Lyla Hennig, Melbourne mama to two small creatures and never without her pen. To follow her very juicy journey, follow her on Instagram @neverwithoutherpen

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Jett skirt $49.95, Hunter blouse $39.95, Lotti large bow $7.95, www.laceylane.com.au

Acorn Confetti playsuit $44.95 www.naughtsandcrosses.com.au

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Abstract garden raglan dress, $46.95 baobab.com.au

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Wild Thing playsuit, handmade by CharlieBird Clothing, $69.95 charliebirdclothing.com Bella & Lace Olivia leotard $40 hellowillow.com.au

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mama can Cook! Chorizo, Beans & Barley Serves: 4 | Prep: 5min | Cook: 30min

Method:

Ingredients:

In a heavy based pan add the chopped chorizo, cook until it releases its oil.

1 chorizo, quartered lengthways and sliced thinly 1 onion 2 cloves garlic 1 carrot 2 squash (actually you can use any veg)

Add remaining ingredients (aside from the parsley, salt & pepper), bring to the boil then simmer until the barley is cooked.

1 cup barley

Season with sea salt & pepper, top with parsley.

1 zucchini

1 litre stock 1 x 400g tin beans - your choice 1 x 400g tin tomatoes Salt & pepper to taste Parsley to garnish

In the meantime blend the veggies using a food processor until they are fine. Chopping or grating will work fine too, I am just lazy.

Nonna Josie (Giuseppina) is the matriarch of the Politini family, which has been growing grapes and making wine in the King Valley for more than 25 years, marrying their love of wine with traditional Sicilian food.

Biscotti di Mandorla (Nonna Josie’s almond biscuits) Ingredients:

Method:

4 egg whites

Preheat oven to 180C. Line a large baking dish with baking paper. In a clean bowl, whisk the egg whites using a handheld mixer or in a stand mixer until thick and fluffy. Gradually add the sugar, whisking continuously, until it is stiff and glossy.

150g caster sugar 15ml almond essence 350g almond meal (with skin left on) 130g flaked almonds Makes 24 Prep 5 mins Cook 15 mins Celebrate ‘the sweet life’ with the winemaking families of the King Valley at the La Dolce Vita Festival, Sat 19th and Sun 20th Nov 2016. Find out more at www.winesofthekingvalley.com.au

Using a metal spoon, gently fold in the almond essence and almond meal. Place the flaked almonds in a separate bowl. Roll a tablespoon of the mixture into a rough ball, then roll the ball in the flaked almonds to coat. Place on the prepared baking tray and bake for 12-15 minutes, or until lightly browned. Set aside to cool. Once cooled store, in an airtight container for up to a week. The biscotti can also be frozen. Wine match: ‘Our non-vintage Connection Muscat goes so well with the biscotti – it has an amazing complex aroma and the biscotti is the perfect foil for the muscat’s flavours of coffee, marmalade, Christmas cake and dried fruits.’ Luis Simian, winemaker, Politini Wines. 15

lost with missy Australian singer/songwriter Missy Higgins has enjoyed phenomenal success with her irresistible melodies and ‘arrow through the heart’ lyrics, delivered by a striking voice that clearly means it. Missy has appeared on the cover of Australia’s Rolling Stone magazine twice and is a threetime chart topper and multiple ARIA Award winner (Australia’s Grammys). But one of her most recent milestones was becoming a mother, with her partner Dan Lee and herself welcoming a baby boy in January 2015. You’re originally from Melbourne (which we love as we are all about clever Melbourne Mamas!). Are you still calling this home? We live in Melbourne still, although we’ve been travelling a lot. We just got back from spending a few months in the States which was pretty fun. We toured with Sammy for a bit and then set up camp in LA for a couple of months while I did some writing. It was great to escape the blistering cold of Melbourne for a while. Obviously home now includes your gorgeous son Samuel Arrow Lee. How has life changed since having a baby? How do you manage to juggle your career and Samuel? It’s definitely a challenge, juggling career and baby. Only because ideally I would spend all my time doing both, because I love them both, but I can’t. So there’s an inner conflict going on all the time. But I love my work and I absolutely love being a mum so in that respect I’m lucky, it’s just about constantly trying to strike that balance where you feel fulfilled in both areas. Life has certainly changed dramatically since having a kid, I’ve had to get a lot better at time management for one! They say it takes a village to raise a child. Tell us about the villagers in your support network?

We are lucky to have a great network of willing grandparents around us. They help out a lot, and Sammy loves playing with his cousins, which is lovely. We also have an awesome nanny once a week. Basically she wrangles Sammy so that I can play piano without him needing to sit on my lap and bash the keys himself the whole time!! You’ve spent the last few months in the U.S. playing several weeks of sold out club shows. What was it like touring as a family? It was really fun actually and not as hard as I had expected. Sammy came to a lot of sound checks and watched me on stage, climbed all over the venue and sound desk, and had a ball. He’s also pretty great with babysitters, thankfully. The flights were the hardest thing, no sleeping for anyone on any of them. We got a lot of death stares. But I did love waking up in strange hotel rooms in weird parts of town and having my family there with me. Usually that’s quite a lonely thing, but it was pretty wonderful this time. With a nearly 2-year-old son, being part of a family friendly music festival like The Lost Lands is the perfect fit for you. Will Samuel be there, rocking along to some of the acts? We’ve heard good things about The Teeny Tiny Stevies! Yes I definitely want to bring him, he absolutely loves music and I love the idea of a festival that is meant for little people like him. I’m most excited about looking out into the audience and seeing him bopping along on his daddy’s shoulders to my music. That’s what I’m hoping will happen anyway! Following The Lost Lands you will be embarking on a national tour fusing your live band with some of Australia’s leading symphony orchestras. In the past you have been asked to play with orchestras but have usually said no. Why the change of heart?

I did a one off show in Tassie on a mountain top with the Tasmanian Symphony Orchestra and it was just so special, I wanted to do it again. Playing with an orchestra is something I’ve always had in the back of my mind as something I wanted to do some day, but the timing was never right. After the Tassie show, though, it seemed like the perfect time.

Can we expect to hear any new music as part of this tour?

Was it a challenge to adapt your songs to work on that scale with so many instruments involved? What sort of help did you need to enlist to make that happen?

My little boy inspires me to look at the world through hopeful, optimistic eyes. Every day is completely fresh for him, he doesn’t dwell on yesterday. So that’s what motherhood has taught me, I guess, that the only thing that really matters is right now, this second. And fun can be had in unexpected places!

I can’t take any credit for the orchestral arrangements, they’ve all been done by some of the country’s leading arrangers (including my keyboard player!) so they’re really quite amazing and very cinematic. My songs seem to lend themselves really well to orchestration, I think because of the way they’re written on piano. And with an orchestra they sound absolutely epic, it’s incredible to hear! Your Melbourne show will be at the amazing Plenary at MCEC. What was the reason behind choosing this location? It seemed like the perfect venue to play with an orchestra. The MSO play at The Plenary a lot, as it has exquisite acoustics, perfect for strings. If you’re going to perform with a world class orchestra, you want world class sound.

Yes, definitely. I’m not sure which songs yet, but I have written a heap of new songs lately (one or two about little Sammy). What inspires you, and what has motherhood taught you?

One thing MamaMag readers love to hear is other mama’s funny parenting tales. Any stand out moments that Master Samuel has made you roll with laughter about? Sammy has taken to trying to pash little girls in the park. It was cute at first but now I think I’ve gotta rein it in a bit!!! That can’t continue till he’s 18!! You can catch Missy Higgins at the Lost Lands Festival on October 29 at Werribee Park. Her national orchestral series kicks off in Sydney on Nov 3, with her Melbourne show at The Plenary on November 27. For tickets and details see www.missyhiggins.com

pre-natal peak Getting back to your pre-natal peak This article may sound funny coming from a male, however over the last 16 years, we have seen 100s and 100s of females come back to training post baby which has given all our trainers some great education on progressing our members back to peak condition. Check out some great tips and info to help you with the process.

Understand the goal posts have changed Firstly, it is not as easy now! Previous to having a baby (or babies), you would have 3-5 time slots per day where you could train whilst you balance your work, social life and extra activities. If you couldn’t make one slot, then you could probably do another time slot and get enough consistent training in that you would have been in great condition. Now, you may have 1-2 opportunities per day to make this work and you will need to carefully plan and book how and where you will get in enough workouts per week to get results.

Your role as a leader This tip is harsh but true… your kids are watching everything you do! The chances are your habits, beliefs and behaviours will shape the way your children view health and wellbeing! This is not to say new mothers need to be obsessed with fitness, but regular exercise and well balanced nutrition may give your family the best chance of a healthier and happier life.

Balancing priorities and attention When a new mother has a child, there is a massive shift in prioritising everything for the 18

baby including time and attention! This is a natural behaviour, however, if all attention is for the child, is it really a benefit for the child? If a mother is healthy and fit, then that could benefit the child through positive energy, increased energy and well managed stress levels. The gold nugget here is to strike the balance.

Plan, plan and if in doubt plan some more The days are gone where you can get up and go to training. The members who have got the best results are the one who plan the best. At times, you may need to plan one week in advance to nail your training time.

Communicate with your time shareholders This is possibly the largest hurdle! Who is going to support your training? Often a partner may be working extra to get on top of the finances to support the family. Obviously some situations are unavoidable, however, it is critical for you to communicate to your partner about your goals. Let’s face it, 99% of the time a mother’s job is harder than the breadwinner, in many ways, therefore a 45 min exercise block per day should be reasonable to work out. Consider a babysitting crew, family helping with babysitting or whatever it takes to get in 45 mins per day (ideally) of some form of exercise or training. It is possible as we have seen hundreds and hundreds of times before This is simple! You can do it if you want to do it! We have seen 100’s of mothers get better results post natal than pre-natal! Now it is over to you if you think it is important. Good luck! By Ben Fletcher, Director, Listen to Your Body ltyb.com.au

Listen To Your Body is a premium health and fitness service, aimed at improving your total health and well-being. Our LTYB studio’s provides a comfortable, non-intimidating environment that allows you to enjoy exercise regardless of your current fitness level or age.

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Cots for Tots This October it’s St Kilda Mums Cots for Tots appeal and we hope that you can help us. Having a baby can be stressful enough at the best of times. Not having a cot can create an enormous amount of anxiety for a parent living in difficult circumstances. Imagine if you could not afford to get your nursery ready for your baby. Imagine if you had fled crisis or an abusive situation with nothing. Imagine if you had to choose between feeding your kids and paying the rent. These are the choices faced by many of the families who rely on St Kilda Mums. The solution is so simple we take the things you no longer use, make them clean and safe, and pass them on. Maternal and child health nurses know that a safe cot is vital to a child’s health and perhaps even their life. SIDS and Kids launched their Safe Sleeping Guidelines in the early 90s. Central to this is the need for a safe cot. We believe that every baby should have a safe place to sleep. But not every family can afford to buy a new cot and there is no government funding for people like asylum seekers. St Kilda Mums volunteers spend an hour cleaning and safety checking every pre-loved cot we rehome. There are never enough donated. We need to raise money to buy new cots. Each week we need to buy between 10 and 15 cots and this number continues to grow.

Can you help by making a donation? Can you help reach our goal to rehome and buy enough cots for 500 families? $30 will buy bedding that will keep an infant snug and safe - blankets, sheets, sleeping suits, wraps, and mattress protectors. $65 buys a new bassinet for families that are homeless, or in crisis accommodation, and do not have room for a cot. An incredible gift of $140 will buy a brand new cot and mattress; a special wholesale price from a generous supplier. If you can’t donate money today, you can still help in other ways: - Donate your pre-loved cot or bassinet at our St Kilda warehouse. - Book a courier to pick up from your home for just $30, which is tax-deductible. Please email donate@stkildamums.org for further information. - Donate sleep suits, sheets, blankets and mattress protectors. - Share this message with your friends. - Run a collection of baby bedding at your school or kinder using the A4 poster on our website. - Join our volunteer team and help us clean and safety check used cots. Thank you in anticipation of your support for our goal of keeping 500 babies safe while they sleep. For more information visit www.stkildamums.org/help/cots-for-tots/

WIN

mily a f 5 f o 1 sses a p e i v o m

worth $80 each!

visit www.mamamag.com.au/competitions to enter Entries are open to Victorian residents only. Ticket s valid at participating cinemas only. Competition starts October 1st 12.01am and closes October 31st 2016 at 11.59pm. Visit www.mamamag.com.au/competitions for entry details and full terms and conditions.

How to help children Few people appreciate just how hard it is for children to make friends. While friendships can promote a child’s social and emotional development, making and keeping them can be tricky. Ms Palethorpe, Goodstart Early Learning national manager and former kindergarten teacher and lecturer, said parents have a huge influence on their child’s social skills and their ability to make friends. “Learning issues and resistance to taking turns, sharing toys or giving attention to others poses social challenges for children,” Ms Palethorpe said. Children learn and construct new knowledge and learnings when they make friends, and they learn how to relate to others, respond to challenges, regulate their behaviour and develop social skills and confidence.

“We know from a young age children initiate playful exchanges with other children, however, to develop these exchanges into positive friendships, young children should be supported to develop appropriate social skills.” These skills include turn-taking, sharing and listening as well as recognition and respect for the feelings of others. Families can support children by role modelling appropriate social behaviours, encouraging children to develop their skills and by having realistic expectations of them. “There will be times when sharing is just too hard and this is why in early learning centres, as children are learning these skills, there will be multiple copies of the same resources to support children with this learning.” Ms Palethorpe shared simple, everyday ways that parents or carers could encourage and develop a child’s social skills to help them make friends.

make friends 1. Help your child feel safe and help them learn to trust other children and the environment. For any connection to form with another child, children must first feel safe. Trust is built once a child feels they can trust other children, adults and the environment. For babies and toddlers, Ms Palethorpe suggested parents sit on the floor and play with their child, and other children, and talk about what they are doing. “Your child will see this behaviour and soon learn that it is safe and okay to interact with the other child or children.” Ms Palethorpe explained this was why Goodstart educators made strong connections with families, in order to forge trust with not only the family but through the family to the child.

2. Facilitate connections with other children.

On weekends, Ms Palethorpe suggested while playing near other children, parents could for example say, ‘Georgina, this little person has come over to play with us. She might want to join in on our play. How about we offer her a shovel?’ The interaction helps connect children with each other and helps them learn to share.

3. Model appropriate social behaviours. Children and adults can learn through social interactions, Ms Palethorpe said. Creating or leveraging everyday interactions can help children learn fundamental social skills such as greeting other children, turn-taking, sharing or listening. To encourage sharing, at the park Ms Palethorpe suggests saying, ‘Oh look Sam, Peter has come over to play with us. He is smiling and being friendly. How can we invite him to play?’ or ‘Oh look, that little person is smiling at us. How about you say hello and ask if he’d like to play with us.’

Once a child has built a sense of trust, Ms Palethorpe said it was important to facilitate connections with other children.

“These are all little things that you can do each day that will help your child connect with other children and develop their social skills to make friends.”

“People often think that children automatically know how to start playing and engaging with other children, but this may not necessarily be the case. Children often have different temperaments, past experience or may not have had the previous opportunity to play and engage with children.”

The Goodstart Early Learning Capability Team develops high quality, evidence-based professional learning materials to improve early childhood practice and knowledge of children’s development, learning and wellbeing across Goodstart’s network of 643 centres.

Ms Palethorpe said parents should look at what was going on within the environment and find ways to connect their child with other children, and engage them in a positive social interaction.

www.goodstart.org.au

MAMA of the month Belinda Sunday is the mastermind behind Sunday The Label and soley responsible for making ‘Hola’ the official greeting at MamaMag HQ! Her hand screen-printed Hola T’s and bodysuites have been a favourite in our wardrobes for a long time! Starting the business, ‘somewhere between baby number 2 and 3’, Belinda has found a niche in kids fashion, where cool design and quality textile marry with practical wear. Her brand is one that mums and kids can love and share together and provides a great outlet to blend her fashion and Mama heart together.

Where did Sunday the label come from? Having a career previously in fashion, retail, designing and development for almost 20 years, I definitely have a fashion business background which has been a fantastic platform for me to grow the Sunday line from. Tell us a little about your kids? I have three children. Two boys, they are 9 and 7, and a mini me 4yo girl! How have you changed since becoming a mum? And how does this influence your work and career? My little people come first. I have always been a busy, scheduled person and have had to adapt my work schedule around to fit in with their needs. I think becoming a mum really amplifies your personality which has helped enable me to do what I do. Where did the name STL come from? All of my children came home on a Sunday from hospital after being born. Plus it is our favourite (family) day of the week where we all spend quality time together. Do you have a favourite collection or piece? Tell us about the inspiration behind your collections and how this process comes about from concept to production. Every time a new collection is finished I say it’s my favourite…but then looking back on older collections I love them just as much. It’s difficult to choose a favourite as they all have a special significance in what was going on in our life as

a family at the time they were designed. It’s like choosing a favourite child, just impossible! My process usually starts with colour or print ideas and together with inspiration from travelling as a family. It all goes on paper, then on to digital files. We then silk screen our fabrics, sample, and fingers crossed my vision comes to life! Tell us about the role Instagram plays for you in the fashion industry? IG is a great platform for us to highlight our customers, retailers and our collection. It’s an important part of business but is only that, a part. There is so many more ways to engage your customers which we love especially face to face at events. What inspires you to do what you love in your own creative business? I am creative and inspired everyday. I love conceptualising. I have so many ideas, I think I have at least another five collections already done on paper ready to go! What has been the biggest challenge with running and growing STL? The biggest challenge is the juggle of being a mum and working. Trying to keep it all together and be on time without looking like a hot mess! What has been the greatest highlight to date? I know it sounds cliché but definitely when my children where born! Best moments ever!

What’s next for STL? Where do you see the brand going in the future? What can we expect from the summer collection? Our Summer collection “Meet me by the SEA” 2016 is available online and in store now! What’s next is our February collection “Night Time” 2017. I have lots of projects on the horizon which I can’t give away just yet but if you follow our socials and subscribe to our website you will be the first to know What’s your own personal style and how does this influence your collections? I am a Melbourne girl so I wear lots of BLACK! Jeans, a tee and runners is my uniform, but I love slipping on a dress and wearing heels. My Collection rules are …If I wouldn’t wear it or put it on my kids it won’t go into the collection. Night in on the couch in your Pjs with a movie OR glam up for an event or party? Well… I’m in my Pjs every night on my laptop working so I will take the glam option here! If I had a long weekend free to myself and I could be anywhere and do anything, you would find me… On a beach with the family swimming, eating, tanning and cocktails The best piece of advice I was given was... Less is more (except children, more is more!!) The thing that made me have my last belly laugh was… Belly laughs every night at the dinner table with the kids….it’s usually a loud happy MESS! Being a mother has taught me… To let go of little worries….Patience… appreciate the little things and everything happens for a reason! If I could go back and tell my 21 year old self something, it would be… Believe in yourself and just go for it more often! sundaythelabel.myshopify.com

lovely locals

High Street thornbury 1.

1. Northern Git The Git’s, cornerstone is to provide great food with a no-nonsense approach. If you’re thinking of Sunday lunch it pays to book as this British-inspired gastropub can get very busy. We recommend the steak and also sampling the cheese platter. Grass-fed, housed-aged beef…yes! With Chef-owner Michael Slade and his fine dining experience driving the ship, it’s no surprise that the tucker is pukka! And the new beer garden should be unveiled in perfect time for the sunshine. 757 High Street. 2. Use-Ta

This is a reluctant inclusion– firstly it borders on Northcote/Thornbury and secondly we kind of want to keep this hidden beauty to ourselves. Such a brilliant concept, Use-Ta trades in pre-loved children’s wares. Think, Sunday The Label, Minti, Country Road. Use-Ta allows us to dress our babes in fashionable clothing without the price tags. Kids grow out of things way too quickly and their clothes often have so much life still in them, enter Use-Ta where you can trade in all things kids fashion delicious. You’re welcome… just promise to save me some good size 4 girl’s pieces! 523 High Street.

3. Premier Sports and Spinal Pilates A team of highly experienced osteopaths, musculo-skeletal and sports physiotherapists, myotherapists, massage therapists, exercise physiologists and clinical pilates instructors. A full range of services, easily accessible in one location with extended opening hours. One of our friends swears weekly Pilates with instructor Venus shortened her labour and restored that core and pelvic floor post-kids. 757 High Street.

4. Pizza Farro A traditional pizzeria that does things a little differently but still remains true to its Italian roots. Homemade spelt pastas and wood fired pizzas remain simple and fresh, as is Italian tradition, but with a little twist by the added low glutinous spelt flour. There’s also the option to substitute the spelt for a completely gluten free base. Also check out the largely gluten free dessert menu. Naturally there’s an epic wine list, so whether it’s a mother’s group dinner, date night or pizza craving, Pizza Farro will tick the box. 608 High Street. 5. Brother Alec When you scroll through the social media of Brother Alec, you realise that this place is a comfortable, warm and cozy local. You’ll find an ode to the couple who had their 1st date at the café, customers giving flowers to the owner and a general happiness vibe that makes you wish this were your local. The food is simple but done well, while the coffee is supreme. We also love that they support local businesses with all their suppliers from the community. A stop here will lift your mood and start your day the right way. 719 High Street. Also worth a mention: Short Round, Jerry Joy and Little Henri. 26

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Why buy new? You can find all of your favourite childrenswear brands pre-loved at Use-Ta!

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spring has srung To Spring Clean or not to Spring Clean? When asked to publish some helpful hints about spring de-cluttering, I of course said absolutely! However, I was confronted with a challenging notion when penning my thoughts about spring de-cluttering. That is, I don’t believe spring is the best time for the common good of a “spring clean”. The truth is, a spring clean works best as an all round yearly way of life, not just saved for the budding season of spring! So what does this recurring way of life look like? It means an iterative focus on the top three spots clutter accumulates.

Kitchen cupboards Although it can seem like a HUGE job, one of the best first things you can do is pull out everything from every kitchen cupboard. I’m talking everything! From this, you can now place clean items back in clean cupboards, but you have to hold that item in your hand and ask yourself; is this used on a weekly basis and does it make me happy? It’s quite strange to ask yourself if a dinner plate makes you happy but alas, if you’re holding a cracked plate that you have held onto for 15 years and it isn’t really reflecting where you are now and who you want to be, it is time to get rid of it!

Linen cupboards Give yourself permission to only have linen and towels that are a colour and texture that give you satisfaction. Peter Walshe - my absolute de-clutter guru - advises two sets of sheets per bed. Now I’m a linen lover from way back, so for me this was daunting, so I gave our bed three sets and kids two sets, which works magnificently. I love my linen cupboard because every time I open it, nothing is displaced - it gives me a great sense of beauty, nurture and feeling like I am in control.

Kids rooms Toys, books, clothes all pile up - often I’m de-cluttering a kids room and find Mum or Dad are either holding onto baby stuff for maybe that second bub, or are emotionally attached to some items. Here’s the thing - you don’t need to save everything. Yes, popping baby stuff in a storage container is great for the former or latter, but I challenge you; open that container and I guarantee you could get rid of half of it!

So make yourself a cup of tea, pull out that container or open that cupboard and exert some quality control. I promise it will bring that space you crave in your kids room, which in turn makes space in your heart and mind for new and wonderful things.

Bringing together my top hints Forget the notion of a ‘spring clean” and substitute that with the notion that keeping your cupboards and home de-cluttered is a way of life. Having a de-cluttering expert help does save you time and expedites the process of having to ‘do it all yourself’. That said if having a stranger go through your cupboards isn’t your thing, then it’s time to take control and make the time. Home organisation is a lot like exercise; the same principles apply! You can have an expert get you started, tailor an exercise plan for you and you’re on your way…or you just get out there and jog one day! The trick is to commit to jogging weekly, rain, hail or shine (not just in spring).

Once done, your options are sell or donate. There is more about ‘consciously’ donating on my Facebook page, which again brings a whole other level of satisfaction to your life. We often don’t need as much as we think we’re conditioned to be gatherers, but take back control of what you choose to gather and what you choose to let go of. This works not only with your dinner plates but with your psyche too! Re-organising and re-invigorating spaces, so they can be the best they can be (all year round) not only transforms a cupboard or a room, it actually transforms your life! In saying that, spring is a great time to open that cupboard and make a start! By Brooke Howden - Clutterless Cupboards. Based in the Inner West Brooke specialises in de-cluttering, sorting, organising, beautifying, consolidating and re-creating places and spaces. facebook.com/theclutterlesscupboards

into the lost lands A festival for families and friends Simon Daly started the Falls Festival when he was just 21, after leaving University, without his commerce or education degree, and moving back to the family farm in Lorne. His Dad advised that the Falls Festival would come in peaks and troughs and not to expect more than 5 years out of it. 20 years later and Daly had built an iconic festival that spread across two states on consecutive days over New Years â&#x20AC;&#x201C; in Lorne and Marion Bay, Tasmania - with an added location of Byron Bay imminent. After having his first two kids Lyla (7) and Oscar (3), and 20 years in the festival game, priorities shifted for Daly whose mum, dad, sister and wife were all heavily involved in the running of the business. Now with a third child, Bowie (5 months), and three years postFalls retirement, Daly is reenergised with fresh passion and a spark of enthusiasm that comes with bringing another revolution to the Aussie festival landscape. Bringing back a place that

time forgot, a lost era, a time where screens were not, comes The Lost Lands. Inspired by a special spot along The Great Ocean Road in the flats by a river with no phone reception, where Daly and a few hundred of his mates and families have retreated to over the past couple of years, came the seedling of The Lost Lands Festival.

Further to your special camping spot and family, where has inspiration for The Lost Lands come from? In Europe there have been festivals that have been going on for decades more than here and families have been a real and intrinsic part of that. I think that has contributed to a really strong culture in Europe which I think is only positive with kids being exposed to music and arts and its just a real natural kind of progression.

Richard Moffatt (former Falls Festival Programmer) told me the vision I had for Lost Lands was closely aligned to a festival in the UK called Camp Bestival. So I took the whole family and camped there for 4 days and nights with 16,000 adults and 15,000 children. The kids were thoroughly engaged. It was complete sensory overload in the first few hours and then you settled in. They also have a castle, and although we don’t have castles in Australia, Werribee Mansion is pretty close! And the gardens are really beautiful. But also we’ve got a zoo as our neighbour (free entry for the kids over the festival weekend)! The Camp Bestival trip validated the ideas of what The Lost Lands could become.

There’s so many exciting elements to the festival, tell us about one unique act in the program. We’re flying in Emiliano Matesanz who’s a Spanish/Argentinian who I met when I was traveling through Northern Spain. He makes all these incredible sculptural artistic children’s games and they’re all made from recycled metals, mostly old car parts and general scrap metal, the springs from old bed frames He has over 40 games prepared for the kids. There’s going to be many zones. The main stage is mainly for the parents, but it’s also music that you’d be proud to have your kids share and then so much of the other programing is geared towards the kids and once they get to the Lost Lands its then that they’ll realise how big that is. But also the programming of the arts, theatre and comedy is very much for the kids but its also very engaging for the adults.

How do you secure the line-up and get that mix of programming right? This came together reasonably smoothly. Trying to get that feel right of things that kids would really love but stuff that goes back to your old days. Like the Waifs. A lot of the acts we approached have got kids themselves so from that side they just loved the concept right from the beginning. So it was a really easy process to get them involved. Miriachi Al Bronx, Missy Higgins, The Waifs, Ozomatli, Ali Barter and Architecture in Helsinki are all in the lineup, but we also want the

festival to be showcasing new talent as well. Uncovering new talents Like Tash Sultana and Alex Lahey. It’s really catering for all.

What stands out, over all those years at Falls? Favourite moments/acts? There is so many. Harking back to my day and the times, the first Tassie Falls was really special. It was a real historical moment in terms of my ‘Event Life’. And of course the very first Falls Festy. Performance wise, at the time Iggy Pop was the most stand-out performance of the whole duration of Falls. His energy just being on show. Also The Hives first show in Australia was in Falls, maybe 2001, and they were just such jaw-dropping performances. Just a really special show. They stand out for live performances.

Where do you see the festival headed in the next few years? Ultimately my vision for it within the next 2 or 3 years is for not only having Lyla (daughter) but a bunch of other kids from different ages, from 4 years through to say 14 years, involved in feedback post events and getting a lot of input from the kids. But more importantly during the festival, getting the kids to run really good chuncks of the event as little event organisers themselves. They’re so switched on and there’s no doubt when they’re given that responsibility that they’ll embrace it maybe even better than any of us. For example that might be wrist banding, down the track and once the systems are in place it’d be really good to see kids checking kids. And there might be an outpost where maybe an adult is driving a buggy and a kid in the front with the list making sure that everybody gets fed every 4 hours. Between October 29 – 30 Werribee Park will play host to an exciting and carefully curated music and arts program that will cater for the tastes of an estimated 3,000 people aged 2-62 years! With an abundance of activities, theatre, comedy, acts and workshops geared towards the kids, but equally appealing to the adults, the Lost Lands is sure to delight a wide array of new and old festival goers. This festival may not be as big as Falls, but it promises to be a festival great wonder and charm.

www.thelostlands.com.au 31

fun In the sun My memories of growing up are primarily of the beach and the pool. As a kid I felt as if I was part fish… begrudging having to come up to the surface to breathe, wanting to stay in the cool, quiet depths as long as possible. Now as a mother I see my kids enjoying the same affinity with water and I usually have to bribe them with food to get them out of the water long enough to re-apply sunscreen. Kids are deeply curious when it comes to exploring nature and we have the most amazing coastlines in this country just begging to be explored and enjoyed. However over exposure to sun in childhood greatly increases the risk of skin cancer later in life. There are a few simple things you can implement that will help your kids establish healthy sun habits:

Know your UV levels. It is so easy to avoid the peak UV times. UV stands for Ultra Violet and refers to the rays from the sun that damages our skin. The UV index is a scale from zero (least dangerous) to 11 (most dangerous), It is recommended that if the UV rating is above 3 you need protection (Infants have particularly sensitive skin and should not be exposed directly to sunlight when UV levels are over 3). Since you can’t see when UV levels are high, why not get your phone to tell you using the following apps: • Sunsmart - This is my pick of apps. It is easy to use and clear, and you wont get bombarded with adds like some of the other

free apps. You can set up your own profile choosing skin colour and age (I put in my daughter’s details). Turn on notifications and it will send you a message every day informing you of the UV levels in your city and what times you need to cover up (Australia only). • Ultra Violet - Another app that is fun because it has an Atlas. Press and see what the UV rating is anywhere in the world. • Get Sunsmart with Undercover Cody Ok, so this one doesn’t help you with the UV index but it is a bit of fun for the kids. They can dress Cody the turtle in sun smart clothing, which brings me to my next point.

Know your sun protection If you do go outdoors when the levels are 3 or higher it is important to use a combination of clothing, glasses, hat and lastly sunscreen, which should be used only on areas that can’t be covered by clothing. UPF stands for Ultraviolet Protection Factor; how much an article of clothing will protect you from UV rays. It is clothing’s equivalent to sunscreen’s SPF. Basically the more densely woven and darker a fabric the more protection it offers. So if you go to the beach just make sure you wear black denim! Or perhaps seek something a little more lightweight. Just keep in mind if you can see through fabric, the sun can probably get through it. It is really important that kids wear a rashie top when swimming, as they are extremely vulnerable in water. If you go swimming in a thin, white t-shirt, it is not going to offer you much protection. Equally if your kid’s rashie top has stretched because it is not chlorine resistant, it will no longer offer the sun protection it originally claimed. With rashies and hats look for a UPF rating of 50+ (the highest rating). With sunglasses check for Australian Standard AS/NZS1067:2003

UV rays can cause eye damage and it is important to ensure your children have appropriate protection. If your child is reluctant to wear sunglasses then a wide brimmed hat can reduce UV impact on their eyes by up to 50%. Appropriate clothing means you don’t have to use so much sunscreen, which saves time and a lot of effort. (Just try to get a toddler to stand still while you carefully apply sunscreen to every part of them while a world of sand and water awaits them.) Enjoy summer and enjoy your time with your kids.

Some more helpful links http://wiki.cancer.org.au/skincancerstats/ Sun_protection http://arpansa.gov.au/Public/hottopics/ sunprotection.cfm http://www.who.int/uv/sun_protection/en/ By Josephine Webster, The Bathers Company www. thebatherscompany.com.au Josephine Webster is not a medical practitioner and the above is information she has collected through personal research and research for her sun protection swimwear business. Follow the links for more information and for any concerns contact your GP.

Some simple sunscreen tips to keep in mind. • Opt for a sunscreen with a sun protection factor (SPF) of 30 or higher. • Make sure it’s labelled “broad spectrum,” which means it blocks both UVA and UVB sunlight. • Cover often-forgotten spots: Back of knees, ears, eye area, neck, and scalp. • For children use sunscreens formulated for sensitive skin, as they are less likely to contain alcohol or fragrances that might irritate the skin. • Choose one that suits you. Roll on, cream, gel – whatever makes it easier (although I would avoid the sprays as inhalation is not good). • If you are swimming use water resistant sunscreen. • Don’t forget to apply 20 minutes before going into the sun and reapply after 2 hours regardless of the instructions!

Scarlett skirt, $69 featherandnoise.com.au

Summer loving

Le grande shift, $269 gormanshop.com.au

Black Broderie Cape $199 countryroad.com.au

Nikki Chambray short, $59.00 featherandnoise.com.au 34

Flores Lily dress, $150 misterzimi.com

Skitse bamboo dress, $145 elkaccessories.com

Harlequin tee, $99.00 gormanshop.com.au

Lemon soft gather shirt, $139 countryroad.com.au Grid dress with slip, $115 elkaccessories.com Daisy dress, $65 featherandnoise.com.au

Lemon broderie midi dress, $279 countryroad.com.au

Nude Shirt Dress, $249 countryroad.com.au Dana tank - check, $110 nancybird.com 35

on the traIl There is just something about seeing a garage sale sign stuck to a power pole with a few tacky balloons that gets mama really excited! The simple act of buying and selling at a garage sale can do a lot of ‘good stuff’ beyond making some extra money or discovering a bargain. Many of us don’t realise that garage sales are also a great way to bring communities together, help save the environment and improve well-being. Now in its sixth year, Garage Sale Trail is a national initiative that sees hundreds of thousands of people participating in one big day of garage sales. Last year’s event saw almost 3 million pre-loved items on sale at over 13,000 garage sales across the country. In Victorian alone, over 420,000 items were listed for sale in 2015 and over 61,000 people were involved in a garage sale. An award-winning sustainability and community campaign, Garage Sale Trail was founded in 2010 by Andrew Valder and Darryl Nichols. The initiative encourages people to sell or reuse unwanted ‘stuff,’ take responsibility for their waste and have fun along the way.

“We absolutely love the unexpected interpretations of garage sales that we see on the day. In the past, people have sold some quirky items including a signed U2 Gold Record, a beachside apartment, a highland cow, a hovercraft and a definitive collection of Star Wars figurines. Two Swedish girls even set up a roller disco in their garage for the day!” In addition to finding the ultimate bargain or quirky treasure, taking part in Garage Sale Trail is an opportunity to consider the impact we’re having on the planet and how we can make a difference. Last year, Garage Sale Trail redistributed enough items to fill 100 kilometres of shopping trolleys. A garage sale is also a great way to bring communities together and to foster neighbourhood relationships. Last year, each Garage Sale Trail participant made an average of 22 new community connections and stayed in touch with 50% of these. Of the 2,000+ registered sales in Victoria for 2015, an astounding 41,398 new community connections were made. Sunday 22nd October 2016 Find out more at garagesaletrail.com.au

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Redefining your More often than not I come across lots of mums and ladies who share with me the struggles that they are facing every day trying to identify who they are now and reflecting their personality through what they wear. Let’s face it, after picking up after your kids, taking care of their meals, taking them to school, preparing meals, cleaning the house, taking care of their sickness, going to work or working in your business, plus many many other tasks that you have to be on top of 24/7, it’s not rare that women tend to forget or even care about the way they look. You’re tired, restless and on the go all the time, which means it is not that easy to take a moment to think, “what should I wear today that will make me feel confident, gorgeous, comfortable, sexy, etc?” Pretty much the tendency is more along the lines of “this will do”. You then take a look in the mirror and just think “what happened to me, this is not me”. You lost sight of yourself. As mother’s it is very important to not lose track of your sense of self. It’s very true that becoming a mother is one of the most rewarding experiences that you could ever encounter but you need to continue to look after YOU so you don’t become an unhappy parent who lacks confidence. When you get dressed every morning you are creating yourself. Your identity is what makes you unique and distinct amongst others. It is a huge part of who you are as a person and when you chose an outfit that says “this will do”, that is what you are reflecting to others which is the way you are feeling now about yourself.

As mothers, it’s completely normal to feel that by going shopping for new clothes you are being vain or selfish to spend on yourself. But what’s important is that once in a while you do spend some time and money on you. Just because you’re a mum doesn’t mean that you should lose your sense of style and identity. Here are some of my tips for helping you rediscover your personal style and identity with clothes that will make you feel confident and amazing about yourself:

1. Clarity The first thing you need to work out is how do you want to be perceived by others? Think about who you are as a person now and where you want to go. Describe in 3 words, what your image says about you now and then 3 words of what you would like your image to be.

2. Dress for your body shape As time goes by our shape may change. For those of you who have faced a major body shape change, get acquainted with your shape no matter what it is. Love your beautiful body and learn how to dress for it. Think about highlighting your assets and camouflaging those parts of your body you don’t like as much.

3. Have a supportive wardrobe Your wardrobe should be a place where you always keep positive energy. It is the place where you are going every day and creating yourself. If you have a wardrobe full of clothes that no longer fit, are out of style, don’t represent who you are anymore, have never been worn, or represent a sad or angry memory, then you need to remove those items that simply no longer serve you any purpose except transmitting a negative energy every time you see them.

Style Identity 4. Look Book To save you time every morning on what to wear each day, get creative and take a little time one day to create lots of outfits. I suggest layingy each outfit on your bed or somewhere with a neutral background and taking photos of each different outfit. Create looks with different pieces and keep them on your phone so it is easier to go back for a reference and get dressed in the morning. As an example grab a pair of jeans and put it with 3 different tops, blazers, scarfs, jewellery or shoes. Create 3 different looks; these can be casual, smart casual or dressy for a night out. If you do this with some of your key pieces, you will find that you will start having lots of outfits from just a few pieces of clothing. Eliana Colimodio, Personal Stylist, Style By Eliana www.stylebyeliana.com Eliana empowers women who have experienced a major change to shine and feel confident through easy and fun styling solutions. Eliana is available for oneon-one personal styling consultations across Melbourne.

A FRESH TAKE ON SPRING As we welcome the warmer temperatures, lighter nights and we start to feel that spring in our step again we know its time to take a fresh look at our makeup bags and think about giving our makeup a seasonal update. Here’s my tips for a modern and fresh take for spring make up:

Lighten up This is a great time of year to take a break from the heavier bases we tend to go for in winter. It’s time to forgo the heavy contouring and use strategically placed highlighter for shape and lift. Highlighter lifts the face by bouncing light off the high points of the face so even without any other make up highlighter can give you a really modern take on the sculpted face. Key areas to highlight: temples, tops of cheekbones, bow of the lip, down the centre of the nose, inner corner of eyes and the collarbones. Highlighter sticks are super easy to use and makes application a dream…try 3ell People BioBrightener stick for an eco-conscious injection of shimmer.

The Power Pout Team your fresh and luminous skin with a power pout. Don’t be afraid of a strong or bright lip. With many of us mums running our own businesses, juggling work and home life, tired mums with sleepless nights or just feeling like you need a pick me up the bright lip is the ultimate distraction, confidence boosting makeup technique. If you aren’t used to wearing lipstick start off with a lip stain and build up to getting used to seeing yourself wearing colour on your lips. I love a bright Fuchsia (blue toned pink) or an orangey red to really wake up the face! Try LouLou Lips in Nemesis or Aurora both available through my website.

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Try Cream Formulas If you haven’t dabbled in cream products for makeup you are missing a treat! Cream eyeshadows are so easy to use, super blendable and have great staying power for lasting throughout the day. You can choose a sheer shimmery finish to a matte finish in fact a cream matte eyeshadow is much easier to blend than it’s powder counterpart and are a good choice if you are worried about fine lines and wrinkles. Try the MAC Paint Pots or Maybelline Colour Tattoo Cream eyeshadows. Cream bronzers and blushers are gorgeous as they add more moisture to the skin helping to plump the skin up. Ensure to apply cream over cream and not powder as you will find your makeup separates or looks lumpy.

Brushed up brows We seem to have fallen into a trap that society (or Instagram!) has told us we need to define our brows but we are often choosing the wrong colours and making our brows too dark which also means ageing! When we look to the catwalk for modern makeup inspiration brows are rarely pencilled in more likely you will see brushed up brows either with a soft shadow brushed through or single brow hairs expertly applied by make up artists hair by hair. With time of the essence us mamas don’t generally have time for this but try opting for cooler lighter shade for brow definition or try the brow mascaras that can set the brows up and add some colour. I particularly like the Benefit Gimme Brow which adds colour and volume to the brow.

MAKEUP Rose Gold, Coppers & Corals Are you obsessed with rose gold for your jewellery, phone case, handbag? Why should your makeup be any different? Seriously though warm toned pinks, rose gold and coppers look beautiful on many skin tones, compliment most eye colours and are perfect for spring/summer as we all become more bronzed. Palettes such as Urban Decay Smokey 3 or it cosmetics Naturally Pretty Vol.2 The Romantics have a lovely selection of complimentary colours for creating a seamless look. For a monochromatic look choose a coral lip for your power pout and add a metallic highlight by adding a touch of your copper/golden toned eyeshadow to your cupids bow. Spring is a great time to try something new and embrace new beginnings. Makeup is about fun and doing something to make you look and feel better. Have fun with it and don’t think about ‘the rules’ too much if it feels good then it will look good and thats the most important thing!

Amy Hughes is a professional makeup artist and beauty writer at www.madeoverandme.com where she blogs a mixture of beauty, mummy ramblings & real life. Amy is available for one-onone confidence boosting makeup lessons and makeovers in your own home across Melbourne. Sign up for the “&” in Made Over & Me including special discounts, secret subscriber blog posts and the Makeup DIY series straight to your inbox.

Little dreamers I am the mother of 2 children. A pigeon pair. Girl and boy. I always believed I could be a good mum. But over the years since having children, I have doubted myself many times. Was I giving my children equal attention? Was I keeping them safe and well? Were they happy? My son has asthma and epilepsy. He has had encephalitis, pneumonia and whooping cough (because he was allergic to the immunisation). My daughter is a young carer. You may not know what a young carer is, but I bet you know one. A ‘young carer’ helps a family member who may have a disability, mental illness or chronic illness. These incredible kids help to care for their sibling or parent; and complete tasks that are way beyond their years, including emotional and practical support. My daughter was nearly 3 when her brother was born. By the time he was 6 months he was in hospital the first time. Since then she has waited for the ambulance many times, sat next to him in the car as he has a seizure and spent countless hours with him in hospital. At home she often did her homework by torchlight and knew to lift her chair rather than scrape it on the floor to not make any noise.

Our daughter had lots of friends but was still socially isolated. We didn’t know the term young carer then, but we knew her life was not the ‘norm’. She played with her dolls, loved dressing up and dancing. She also helped get her brother’s medicine while I held him; sat with him so I could shower; and would walk past his room and check his breathing while he slept. My daughter grew up quickly, mature and responsible, but also anxious and insecure. When she was at school and her brother was home sick, she worried. Was he okay? Was he going to go to hospital? Would he be at home when she got home? She craved attention and as parents we have always felt pulled between wanting to give attention to both our children, who both needed us so desperately.

As my daughter got older, she understood more. She became a teenager, hung out with her friends and left her room in a mess. She also stayed home to look after her brother when I worked, continually checking on him, giving him medicine and reading to him. Now she is the first with her keys if we need to rush him to the doctor or hospital. Now she visits him in hospital with special gifts, including things to make him laugh. She knows just what he likes and what works. My daughter even founded an organisation called Little Dreamers Australia to support other brothers and sisters of sick kids. When she began at 16 years old it was a side hobby, now it is her full time job and her mission is to improve the emotional and physical health, wellbeing and resilience of Young Carers to ensure that caring is a responsibility shared by Government, community and family. She believes in creating the things that she wished existed when she was younger, and being the role model for other Young Carers that she didn’t have.

Little Dreamers has supported over 500 Young Carers throughout Australia and runs a number of different programs and one massive Young Carers Festival in October every year to thank Young Carers and raise awareness about how hidden this at risk group in the community can be. While my daughter runs the business, when asked why she does it she always looks back to her brother. He is her daily inspiration and the reason she pushes so hard at what she does – so the brothers and sisters of sick kids can be the best support for their families but also for themselves. She is a big advocate of making sure a carer takes care of themselves too – even though she is not the best at doing that herself! My children are now best mates, share their own personal language and jokes. They laugh, fight and gang up on us. My son loves to sit on his sister’s bed at night when we have gone to bed and confide in his big sister. We made it and I think we did okay! Find out more about Maddy and the team’s amazing work at www.littledreamersonline.com Little Dreamers.... where Young Carers are valued by the wider community, empowered by their caring role and supported to achieve better emotional health and wellbeing.

super quick beauty You know when you’re a mum and someone makes the comment “you look exhausted” and you think to yourself “Is this my permanent post-child face now? Am I going to look this tired forever?” The short answer is no. Maybe the first few years, yes, but slowly and surely you will feel and look fresher, brighter and more awake! In the meantime you could try out these quick beauty tips: If you only have time for one make-up item in the morning choose mascara... it not only brightens up the eye area but it can make you look like you’ve actually had a good night’s sleep. Wearing a hint of lip colour or gloss will instantly brighten your whole face (it will also take the focus off the bags under your eyes... BONUS!). I highly recommend an exfoliant. Not only does it rid the face of dead skin cells but you instantly look fresher after using it (and exfoliating only needs to be done 3-4 times a week depending on skin type). I always think to myself I really took advantage of that ‘glow’ I used to have pre-kids. Then it’s like I blinked and woke up one day looking dull. One word. BRONZER. It’s my all time fave beauty product. One quick sweep of bronzer is all you need to make you look like you’ve got that pre-kid summertime glow going on. Dry shampoo is your best friend! Two pillows are better than one. This one’s super easy. Sleeping on two pillows helps reduce puffiness in the face, especially around your eyes.

The old cucumber on the eyes trick—there’s a reason this beauty trick has been around for decades—it actually works. If bubs is snoozing chuck some cucumbers on your eyes and have a lay down... even 10mins will reduce tired looking eyes. Mineral spring water spray. Avene do a lovely one. I spray this on my face every day. Not only is it great for sensitive skin it also freshens, tones and decreases puffiness instantly. They also make a handbag size which you can chuck in your nappy bag. Just spray some on when you’re in a flustered mummy mess (we all have those moments) and let the calming freshness do its job! Master the messy bun. What mum has time to do her hair in the morning? If you can learn to master the ‘messy bun look’ it can look like you’ve actually made an effort when you haven’t. And if you literally have zero time for yourself daily (new mummas this is definitely for you) try to go and get your eyebrows and eyelashes tinted. This can make a world of difference. You don’t need to do anything to maintain it and you should get a good 3-4 weeks out of it. Lastly let’s be honest, there are some days where you don’t care what you look like and feel the world is even lucky you got out of your PJs, and that’s OK, but remember a little self pampering always makes us feel a little better. Right?! By Courtney Forrest Owner, Laguna Tan & Make-up facebook.com/LagunaTanMakeUp

WIN

the new album from The Wiggles’ Emma or Lachy!

The “Dial E for Emma” and “Lachy!” albums are out on October 7 through ABC Kids and Universal Music, on CD and all digital services, and mama is a bit excited about new their new tunes! We’ve got 3 of each of these awesome albums to be won, so simply select your album below and post us your best Wiggles

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colouring in!

Emma

Lachy

Post your entry by October 31st to: MamaMag, PO Box 8018 North Road LPO, Brighton East 3187.

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Turn the page Ten Little Owls - Renee Treml – Board book As the sun goes down across Australia, ten different types of native animals awaken. Join them as they hop, prowl, sing and frolic across an enchanting moonlit landscape. This beautifully illustrated board book, written in rhyming verse, is an excellent way to teach young children to count to ten. The animal sounds and actions throughout are sure to entertain, educate, and delight.

A Child of Books - Oliver Jeffers & Sam Winston - Picture Book A little girl sails ‘across a sea of words’ to invite a small boy to join her in imaginary lands. These are lands of literature – ’forests of fairy tales’ and ‘mountains of make-believe.’ This lyrical prose poem is an invitation for all children to unlock their imaginations, explore and create. The stunning typographic artwork is made from classic works of literature and lullabies, and holds new treasures to uncover every time you read it.

Midnight Creatures - Helen Friel - Pop-Up Book Gather the family together, dim the lights, and shine your torches through five beautifully crafted pop-up scenes. Paper artist, Helen Friel, has created five magnificent habitats, including the ocean and jungle, with many hidden creatures to find. Shine your torch through the scenes and see the animal shadows appear on your wall. Can you find the giant squid at the bottom of the ocean?

The Snow Wombat - Susannah Chambers - Picture Book Witness the magical Australian High Country during the snow season, through the eyes of an adventurous wombat. Learn about the different birds, animals, and landscapes she encounters on the way back to her cosy burrow. The book includes a wonderfully detailed map of the journey for reference. The delicate illustrations and gentle rhyming verse make this an ideal bedtime book.

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Chris Humfrey’s

ZOOKEEPER EXPERIENCE!

Spend a whole day with zoologist Chris Humfrey from ABC’s hit series “Chris Humfrey’s Wild Life!” Work at his very own private zoo, and learn from Chris himself! Get up close and personal with over 2000 animals! Discover what drives Chris to work with animals. Who knows your child could follow in his footsteps! This is an exceptional hands-on experience, which is offered nowhere else. Chris has personally designed this exclusive program. Strictly limited numbers of children will ensure that your child will get the WILD experience which they CRAVE! Chris’ zoo is nestled in the foothills of Mount Macedon. It’s an easy 50 minute drive from Melbourne’s CBD.

GREAT GIFT IDEA!

Bookings and Enquiries www.wildaction.com.au Phone 0419 385 245