Busy Mums Magazine - Christmas Edition

Busy Mums Mag Volume 2 November 2014

In this edition: Baby Nursery Home Office Microwave Recipes Competitions Christmas Sales and more

Special Christmas Edition

Table of Contents

Baby

Baby Nursery Trends Tips when decorating your nursery Nursery Essentials Cool Nursery Finds Latest Product Reviews 5 Great Books about Becoming a Sibling

Parenting Words or Communication?

Tips for living with an ASD child

Christmas Christmas Sanity Guide Easy Christmas Craft Christmas Competition Christmas Recipes

Food Microwave Recipes Panasonic Steam Combi Microwave Competition Cooking Products Reviewed

Home Office 6 Smart Strategies for Office Spaces in Small Spaces Tips to successfully work from home 5 Tips when choosing a Home Printer Latest Apps Modern Office Equipment Home Charging Solutions

Other

New DVD Releases New and Noteworty Competitions On Sale

Editors Note

Welcome to the second edition of Busy Mums Magazine where we aim to offer an interesting lifestyle magazine with solutions for today's busy mums. Covering all aspects of life as a mum you will find regular sections in the magazine as well as Special Features in each issue to highlight new, fun and interesting information for families.

This issue covers Baby Nursuries, CHRISTMAS, Home Office Tips and more. Get into the festive season with our extended Christmas coverage along with our easy crafty ideas, yummy recipes and so much more. Oh and have I mentioned our fantastic CHRISTMAS COMPETITION with over $1,300 in prizes to be won!

All of the articles within the magazine are online at MumsDelivery.com.au and we would love you to contribute your thoughts, suggestions or tips on any of them.

Happy Reading!

Lorraine

Would you like to become a contributor for Busy Mums Magazine? Send Us your information.

Stay Connected

Get in touch: Editor: info@mumsdelivery.com.au Advertising Enquiries: lorraine@mumsdelivery.com.au Office: (02) 9940 3097 3

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Baby

Baby Nursery Trends

Once upon a time.... a nursery was a pretty cliche'd thing. A place filled with bunny and teddy bear fabrics, where function was more important than form. Somewhere separate to the rest of the house, a place to be kept dark, quiet and, dare we say it, baby-ish.

But these days, the trend towards apartment living, and home style, mean that many new parents-to-be are finding that they want the nursery to be something very different. A place that is connected to the rest of the house - in style, in colour and in form. A restful place, that combines comfort for parents and baby alike. After all, it is the parents who will spend hours bouncing, rocking, snuggling, feeding, patting and playing in there!

At Buster Boo : Little Linens, we help Australian parents to create their dream nursery spaces.

Colour, style and form are all part of our love of all things baby. And here are our hot style tips for creating your dream nursery -• Consider integrating the nursery with the style theme of the rest of your house. If you have a bold colour or theme that ties your other rooms together, try blending or softening it to continue as a theme in baby's room. Use cushions, lamp shades or other changeable items to bring in colour from outside the nursery.

• Remember that furniture which is not specifically designed for a nursery can serve very well as quirky storage for clothes, toys or linen. Again, this helps to blend the nursery in with the rest of your home.

(Please do keep safety in mind!)

• Less really is more. Many nurseries are in the smallest bedroom, or even a shared office / nursery space. Consider clever storage to cut the clutter, and just keep a few key style pieces on display. A cot skirt is a fabulous way to add style, AND hide storage underneath the cot.

• When looking for a chair for night feeds, again consider a style that can be "repurposed" in your lounge or living areas, after the "nursery" stage is over. A

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classic wing chair in a soft neutral tone, with ottoman foot rest, can be styled with cushions and throw blankets, and then moved out to the lounge when your darling is growing up!

Current colour trends are for soft, but up to date shades • Mint and Grey are gorgeous and a perfect choice for the "surprise" gender baby. You can then add a touch of peach, or shimmery gold, if baby is a girl, or some bold navy blue if you have a boy.

• White walls and cot make a perfect backdrop for a statement rug, cot linen and accessories. Classic prints such as polka dots, chevrons and stripes are all very popular and can be blended seamlessly into an overall theme.

• Use colour to create your theme, rather than specific items - for a nautical theme, use a red and white stripe cot sheet, with navy polka dot cot skirt and cushions. A red and navy bunting completes the look. Then accessorise with some nautical prints and a lamp-shade. This colour scheme can then be easily adapted to vintage aeroplanes, steam trains, or even a footy team!

Our final tip ... bassinets and Moses baskets are most definitely back in style, as a practical and stylish way to keep your tiny baby close at all times. Many new mums are choosing a portable Moses basket, or a bassinet on wheels as a way of having baby nap while still keeping a close eye on them. This article was written

by Sasha from Buster Boo: Little Linens.

Visit them at: www.busterboo.com.au

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Tips when Decorating your Nursery

Baby

“While cute definitely matters when it comes to decorating your child’s bedroom, so does comfort.

Creating a mummy-station, such as a side table to keep everything you’ll need conveniently close by, such as a drink or wipes for whatever comes up during those late night feeds is great in the nursery stage,” Craig Evans, Fantastic Furniture.

“Bed linen and scatter cushions, such as our Novelty range (only $10 each) are a fun and inexpensive way to add the finishing touches to your little ones room that can easily be updated as your child’s taste changes,” Craig Evans, Fantastic Furniture Put something on the wall/above the change table.

Helps keep bub occupied during change tables.

Charmaine Ohl

Removable wall stickers are the quick and easy way to jazz up a room, even if renting. Charmaine Ohl

Soft neutral colours or unisex themes are ideal for the walls and major furniture pieces. These can then be decorated with furnishings in a suitable colour scheme for your baby. When bub 2 comes, the nursery can easily be changed to accommodate the new bub whilst the older toddler can move to a bed and room. – Lorraine Salvi. MumsDelivery Make your Nursery bright and colourful, even if it's only curtains. Karla Oleinikoff

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Baby Part of the fun of being pregnant is to nest and excitedly create a nursery as you prepare for your baby’s arrival. Yet with so many products and accessories now available; what products do you really need and what are simply nice to have options?

Nursery

Here is what I think are Nursery Essentials and what can be optional extras.

Nursery Essentials 1. Cot & Mattress The cot is the ultimate nursery essential designed for your baby to provide it a safe, comfortable place to sleep at night and throughout the day. When looking to purchase a cot ensure it complies with the Australian Safety Standards. Find out more information on these standards here.

You should also check that it is sturdy and durable with all components permanently fixed together or requiring the use of a tool to disassemble. With the cot Mattress, ensure that the mattress is a good fit to the size of your cot so that there aren’t big gaps that baby’s hands or feet can get stuck in.

2. Wardrobe/ Tallboy If you don’t have built-in cupboards in the room, getting a Wardrobe or Tallboy is a nursery essential. You will need the cupboard space to keep all the little clothes and items your baby will need. Our Wardrobe had the double function of having a nappy change area on top of it so that you could easy change nappies without having to purchase a nappy change table.

This piece was able to be removed for when you no longer needed this function.

normal living as you can go outside or enjoy yourself without worrying that you won’t hear bub. Many monitors offer more than a simple audio function so you can know if baby is breathing, the temperature of the room, they can work as a night light and more.

Tip: Purchase a good quality monitor so that it will last throughout the course of your babies. We have had our monitor for 6 years, used it every day over 3 children and it still works the way it did when we bought it.

4. Glider or Rocking Chair With babies needing to be feed frequently throughout the day, having a good rocking chair or glider that can be used to support 3. Baby Monitor both you and bub while breastfeeding or Some will argue that the Baby Monitor bottle-feeding is ideal. With the rocking should not be classed as a nursery essential, and gliding option, the chair will be able to however in my mind it is. The baby monitor help you settle bub and provide some much is fantastic at providing peace of mind, at needed movement at times to encourage offering you a chance to relax and resume baby to sleep.

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Essentials

Baby

5. Linen for your Nursery It goes without saying that you will need to purchase linen for your nursery. Nursery linen essentials include: Mattress Protector, Cot Sheets, Blankets (light summer ones and heavier winter ones) & Wraps. Little babies often soil their linen and having 2-3 sets of each is recommended.

6. Nappy Change Essentials Changing baby’s nappy is something that you will spend a lot of time doing. Make it easier by having the key requirements all in one place ready to be used. Key items required to be nappy change ready include: Newborn nappies – 1 box Baby wipes Nappy Rash Cream Baby Moisturising Lotion Cotton Buds Nappy sacks or nappy bin.

Nappy Change Table With limited space in our room, we never invested in a change table, rather choosing to purchase a tallboy that offered this functionality. If space is not an issue the nappy change tables can create a nice, simple to use space where you can keep all the Nappy supplies.

7. Baby Mobile I love baby mobiles and had one in the cot and another above the nappy change area.

They are a great tool to distract baby when changing their nappy or when trying to keep Nursery Decoration them occupied in their cot while you quickly While you could put baby into the nursery attend to something else. without changing the room décor, part of the fun of setting up the nursery is the Optional Nursery Furniture. process of decorating it with a theme, colour or toys and books that you like Bassinette and think your baby will enjoy. Apart from The bassinette is nice to keep your newborn painting the room and getting items that in at first and can easily be put in your you really want, don’t go too overboard as room; however this really is an optional as many of your friends and family will want to you can put your baby into the cot from get you something for your new baby. birth. We never invested in a bassinette and were fortunate enough to have friends Article written by Lorraine Salvi from that had these that we could borrow. I did www.MumsDelivery.com.au like having the ability to put the baby in our room with us; however all of my children only spent 8 weeks in the bassinette before they outgrew it and moved into a cot.

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Cool Nursery Finds Never miss a thing with new Uniden Baby Watch monitors with Skype app Baby Watch features both video and audio display, and the camera is equipped with a built-in microphone so parents can hear when their child may need attention.

Find out more: www.uniden.com.au Hand made and hand screen printed cushions inspired by colour, texture and simple designs using eco-friendly inks.

Available: www.missalex.com.au

Amelie lace baby wraps 44 x 44 inches of luxury cottons edged with Tilly &Otto’s signature lace RRP: $49.95 www.tillyandotto.com.au

Designed to keep children happy and secure at bedtime, whilst giving parents the reassurance of energy-saving safety, the Tee-Zed Magic Table Lights are ideal for your child’s bedroom. Featuring famous Disney® characters, Mickey®, Minnie® and Pooh®.

RRP: $40.00 each Stockists: Big W Laundry Wash Abode Baby Laundry Liquid: is specifically formulated to effectively clean baby and toddler clothes. It is uniquely designed with lipid layer enhancers to assist in the health of baby’s skin. RRP: $17.00 Available from: www.mumsdelivery.com.au/store The Storage Boxes from 3 Sprouts are another clever idea. With sides reinforced with cardboard, the box stays firm at all times. Made to fit almost all cubby hole shelving units, it adds a pop of fun to every room. There are seven cute animals to choose from for $34.95 Go to www.coolkidz.net.au for stockists The 3 Sprouts Caddy is a perfect tote for all those nursery items, from nappies to lotion that you need to keep in one spot near the change table. The Caddy has six cute designs to choose from and only costs $34.95. Go to www.coolkidz.net.au for stockists

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Reviewed

Catasy bodysuits 100% Cotton bodysuits available in a large variety of different patterns and styles that will have you spoilt for choices. The nature of cotton permits it to absorb and remove body’s moisture easily, so bub is going to comfortable no matter the season. RRP: $11.95 Available from: www.lamodebebe.com

The Uniden BW3102 Baby Watch baby monitor is a 4.3inch LCD portable wireless baby monitoring system. It offers a secure digital wireless solution which comes complete with two cameras.

RRP: $249.95. Stockist: JB Hi Fi

LeapFrog Mobile Med Kit A handy little ambulance friend that offers a number of interactive ways to encourage play and learning through songs, sirens and doctor’s toys RRP $35.00 Available from: Most toy and dept. stores

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Sterling Silver Fairy Tooth Keeper Comes with a special records card so you can mark which tooth your child lost and answer some questions which you can keep to show them when they are bigger. RRP: $59.95 Available: Oh My Giddy Aunt Brolly Sheets Take the hassle out of bedwetting. Simply place a Brolly Sheet on top of your fitted sheet and tuck the wings in under your mattress so your child can sleep straight on top of the Brolly sheet. This makes changing the bed in the middle of the night so easy!

RRP:$ 45.95 Available from: www.bumblebeekids.com.au

Hippo Bassinet Gift Set The gift set contains 1 fleece blanket, 1 fleece beanie, a pair of matching booties (0-6 months), 1 soft toy rattle, 1 triple layer bib and 3 short sleeve bodysuits (0-3 months) with detailed applique and embroidery motifs.

RRP $95.65 Available from: www.lamodebebe.com

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Baby

5 Great books about

Introducing a child to the concept of a new baby arriving can be a challenging time. Picture books make a fantastic resource for parents to gently introduce the idea and all the concepts that come with it, like sharing, hospitals and crying babies.

A picture book can also be a fantastic present for the baby to bring a big brother or sister on arrival. Here are our favourites.

There’s a House inside My Mummy by Giles Andreae & Vanessa Cabban.

There's a house inside my mummy Where my little brother grows, or maybe it's my little sister No one really knows.

This is a gentle and tender story of a little boy waiting for his new brother or sister to arrive. It is told with humour and a simple rhyming text, with bright and colourful illustrations. The story is told from a first born toddlers perspective it is simple and heart-warming.

The Swap by Jan Ormerod & Andrew Joyner In this multiple award winner, a jealous sister attempts to swap her dribbly, smelly baby brother crocodile for something else. When she tests out the alternatives, she realises her baby brother isn’t so bad after all.

This is a fun story full of cute baby animals that are all either too squirty, to tiring, or too fussy. Andrew Joyner’s illustrations are full of fun and expression with lots of detail to explore. This is a beautiful hardcover book with fabric binding. Recommended for ages 3+.

I’m a Big Brother or I’m a Big Sister by Joanna Cole “Someone new is at our house,” begins this loving, reassuring look at becoming a big brother or sister as told through the eyes of a new older sibling. The simple text lays out all the good things about being an older sibling, and reminds first born children that that they are just as special as ever. Suitable for ages: 2 - 5 This is a bestselling and reassuring children’s picture book about how special it is to become a big brother or sister. It also covers a new baby crying and not being able to play or eat ice-cream! We love Joanna Cole’s helpful tips about how to make the adjustment process a little easier on a new sibling.

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Baby

The New Baby (Usborne First Experiences) by Anne Cavarti & Stephen Cartright This series introduces young children, in an amusing and friendly way, to situations they might find themselves in for the first time. Stephen Cartwright’s gently humorous illustrations are full of things for children to look at, learn from and talk about, and the simple text will enable slightly older children to read the books for themselves.

This book is a very practical introduction to the idea of a new sibling. It goes through to the end of the pregnancy, getting looked after whilst mum and dad go to the hospital to have baby, visiting the new baby in hospital and even features mum breastfeeding the new baby. The story continues until baby is home and goes on its first family outing.

Find these titles and more on Siblings online at Story Mama here.

With fast Australian delivery and free shipping on orders over $30.

Our Book Column is written by Debbie Hatswell the Director at Story Mama, an online bookstore specialising in picture books for children. Story Mama helps time poor parents and early childhood educators discover recommended picture books for children ages 0-7. You can find us at www.storymama.com.au

MumsDelivery

CHRISTMAS GIFT GUIDE for Babies

Solutions for Busy Mums

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Parenting

Words or Communication?

Many families arrive at our clinic, whether for Speech Therapy or for Occupational Therapy, and identify that their primary goal is that their child talks. Talking is the most obvious way that we connect with others and is certainly valuable for learning. However we communicate a long time before we talk by using gestures, facial expression, sounds, etc.

In fact these parts of communication make words communication. They make words meaningful and provide the context for the words.

We’ve all gone to courses that say 70%, 80%, now 90+% of our communication is nonverbal. We hear this message and say, “Oh yeah, I know that. I heard it at the last course” and then we jabber, jabber, jabber. But I want you to really consider this and what it means for helping our kids communicate. While this is much harder to explain in writing (because I can only use words), I’ll give an example.

I was about to meet with another therapist and asked, “Do you mind if I finish doing this while we chat?” She responded “Yeah”. Thank goodness I didn’t email or text this request or I would have thought that she did indeed mind because her words said yes. However she was responding to my non-verbal communication which communicated “Is it okay with you if I finish this while we chat”.

If you were communicating face to face with me and you told me something surprising, I may respond “Get out of here!” (Oops, I couldn’t help adding an exclamation mark to give emphasis).

In another example, two children diagnosed with autism spectrum disorders attended our clinic. One had a lot of words and the other did not. However, while the first child may have had more words than me, he didn’t use them to communicate and engage with others. He could recite sections of books and DVDs word perfect but didn’t communicate that he needed the toilet.

Notice the difference between me saying this in the following ways: 1. “Get out of here!” with an angry face and a clear, harsh arm gesture and finger pointing to the door.

2. “Get out of here!” with a shocked face with open eyes, head leaning forward and a voice that tells you that I’m shocked and want to know more.

3. “Get out of here!” with a disbelieving but friendly face and a wave of the hand that suggests that I think your trying to trick me.

4. “Get out of here” with a robotic, monotone voice that gives nothing other than the words (no exclamations in this one).

Pretty different aren’t they? In fact the nonword aspects of communication are often better communication than the words.

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He didn’t share his thoughts, preferring to review the scripts in his head rather than interact. The other child had only a few words but they were all meaningful (such as Mum and ball). He was playful and engaged, enjoyed chasing and tickle games with others, showed his mum toys that he thought were cool and was interested in his mum’s ideas. Part way through the session he used a sign that his mother recognised as ‘toilet’ and off they went. While he had significantly fewer words (and we certainly want to help him get more) he was a far better communicator who was better able to engage in caring relationships, build genuine friendships and learn a variety of things, rather than memorise words that aren’t used to communicate.

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Parenting Both have come a long way now. The first is now more engaged, using words to connect with others. Almost counter-intuitively, we actually achieved this by ‘sprinkling no-talking dust’ at times in sessions and play at home, requiring him to respond to the non-verbals of others.

We want our children to be able to engage in caring relationships and communicate. This can happen both with and without words. The nonverbal aspects of communication provide context and help the words they use to be meaningful and delivered to another person. Without the non-verbal aspects, words are simply not communication.

5 Tips To Connect With Your Child 1. Get down on their level. It’s easier for your child to make connected eye contact when you are at or below the child’s line of vision.

2. Sprinkle no talking dust. Play games where you don’t use words but use gestures, facial expression and sounds instead. You could play chase or do treasure hunts where you give the clues only with your eyes, face and gestures.

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3. Wrestle and rumble. This can be a great time to connect eye to eye and read each other’s cues. Try rumbling in slow motion, using sounds to build anticipation and try to keep the child in the power position (i.e. pinning you rather than you pinning your child).

4. Let them know you understand how they feel before letting them know what needs to happen, i.e. “I see you’re mad and that toy is not a choice today. That’s really disappointing, huh”. This can help them better understand their emotions and to feel understood even when they can’t get what they want.

5. Use books and reading time as way to share and connect. Instead of reading it cover to cover, discuss what you see in the pictures and relate it to things you saw that day or have experienced together.

Written by David Jereb, Occupational Therapist. David and his wife Kathy run MoveAbout Therapy Services, an occupational therapy and speech therapy service in the Hills district of Sydney. In February 2015, MoveAbout will be bringing Beth Osten and Sherri Cawn from Chicago U.S.A. to teach their ‘A View From The Floor’ workshop for professionals and parents of children with additional needs. For more info on MoveAbout or the workshop visit www.moveabout.com.au or www.facebook.com/MoveAboutTherapy.

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Parenting

Tips for living with an ASD child

ASD, is a spectrum and so you should not expect that a method that works for one will work for another. Children with Autism Spectrum Disorders are so very unique, from non-verbal to high IQ, seeking movement to sitting still. A key to living with Autism is learning to live with your child. Knowing what makes your child and who they are is a great place to start. Learning to live with ASD helps, but your child is just as unique with ASD as your child without.

5 tips – Living with ASD 1.

Let them know they are not weird or wrong, they just see the world differently. The beauty of a child with ASD is the way in which they see what we don’t, the way they understand their surroundings.

2.

From an early age, start to learn about recognising emotions, play games, tell stories.

There are some great books, or make your own little plays. This is mummys (grumpy face) can you make a (grumpy face).

3.

Don’t take outbursts personally (so hard) but it is frustration at the world around them not you. Eg, school pickup, the world is against them, yelling, narky, tears and later in the evening, or maybe not until the next day you find out their teacher was absent or they couldn’t go to the library and it was Wednesday and you always go to the library on Wednesday.

4.

Routine – challenge the routine, it’s easier I know, but change the route to school, move the furniture at home around. When they leave home the world won’t avoid change to make them happy, they need to learn coping mechanisms.

5.

Seek help, you are not alone, allied health, support groups, family, friends, teachers, schools. Share your story to help others and be an advocate for your child. They need you to push for them, support them and make their world easier to understand.

In Australia there are funding options for Early Intervention, if you feel concern for your child, or someone else expresses concern start asking questions. Speech/Language Therapy, Occupational Therapist, Child Psychologists, whoever you need to support you.

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They are your children and you spend the most time with them, never doubt your hunches and feelings.

The most reassuring piece of advice I was given was: “His outbursts and behaviour at home are the worst because he trusts you the most!!” I hold onto this to this day when my son is 14.

Article written by Andrea Chamberlain Mum Behind the Box. Passionate about supporting parents to be the parent they need to be. Every family is different every person is unique, work with what you have in your house. As a mother of 3 individual boys, I embrace the differences and face the challenges. Stuart and I are a team and have been for over 16 years.

Exploring life together and enjoying the gifts we have been given.

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Parenting

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Christmas Special

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MumsDelivery

Christmas

CHRISTMAS GIFT GUIDE Awesome Present Ideas for: Stocking Fillers Babies Toddlers Pre-School School Aged Tweens & Teens For Her For Him

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Christmas

Christmas Sanity Guide

Christmas is a time for giving and a time for love. I love watching my children’s faces not only on Christmas day but also in the lead up to Christmas – learning about Christmas, singing songs and creating Christmas crafts. Like many others mothers, I do find that buying all the Christmas presents and trying not to break the bank can be stressful. This article provides some tips to help keep your sanity this Silly Season.

Set the boundaries.

It can be stressful when you think that you have bought all the presents and then a friend comes over with an unexpected gift. My family buys gifts for our family (including siblings, grandparents etc) and 1-2 very close friends and I try to ensure that our other friends understand this.

Whenever another friend start talking about Christmas and gifts I bring it into the conversation that I prefer not to do gifts other than with family as I find it gets too big. Then I ask them not to buy us anything. This way I at least know I am not going to get any surprises and then feel bad.

Buy gifts only for family and very close friends.

Talk to your partner about who you feel you should buy gifts for. It is generally accepted that most people only buy for their family and very close friends. There will be some friends that are an exception and if you do not want to buy for the whole family because let’s face it once children are involved suddenly there are so many more gifts to buy! Talk to these friends and maybe come to an agreement where you just buy gifts for the children or a gift for the whole family like a board game, Christmas cake or Gingerbread house.

Secret Santa for friends and/or large families Secret Santa is a great idea for a group of friends around Christmas. My mothers group meet up every year and around Christmas we do a Secret Santa for the Children as our Christmas party/ celebration. We have a secret Santa for the older children and another separate one for the younger children as not everyone has more than one child, making it fair. We also specify a limit to be spent on each gift – generally $20 and under. This is also a fantastic idea if you have a large family with many cousins…

Set a budget per person for the gift amount In our family we set a reasonable budget that applies for every single person (except myself, hubby and our children) that we buy presents for. This way I know in advance what I am generally going to spend. Working within the budget I look for bargains, sales and discounts and try to make the budget work for every single person so that I am getting them what they want.

Shop online.

Shopping online is fantastic normally but the benefits increase around Christmas. You can find great bargains, good quality and unique products easily and quickly while also being able to compare prices. You don’t need to find a car spot, walk from shop to shop to shop or battle crowds. You don’t need to drag the children along and you can do their present shopping while they are asleep. I also found that since we were shopping online my hubby did a lot of the Christmas buying last year which helped me out. Check out MumsDelivery Market - the Market for Mums here where you can find great sales, special offers and bargains!

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Christmas

Think of other ways to celebrate with friends Christmas time is lots of fun and we enjoy celebrating the warm weather and Christmas with our friends in many ways. Here are some ideas of how you can share the Christmas spirit with friends/ family that don’t cost a fortune. I love going to one street in particular and walking down it, looking at the fantastic Christmas lights displayed. Take your children and neighbours children (as long as they okay it!) around the block to see what lights there are. Have a drink with friends on Christmas Eve. Take advantage of the activities/festivals that your local council put on to celebrate Christmas.

Lastly remember to have fun and enjoy this precious time in your child’s life! All too soon they will grow up and some of the magic will be lost.

For some great Christmas present ideas, toy reviews and our fabulous Gift Guide, have a look at our Christmas section

Written by Lorraine Salvi, Founder of MumsDelivery and lover of Christmas, Santa and Christmas Lights.

How to create the wooden tree using Chalk Paint™ by Annie Sloan 1. Start by using any pre-purchased timber wooden tree 2. Choose your favourite Chalk Paint™ colour as a base – for this we painted the timber tree in French Linen. This image also features Chalk Paint™ colour in Graphite on the wall and the floor being painted in Chalk Paint™ colour Burgundy.

3. There is no need for pre-prepping or sanding, just apply directly to the raw wood and let it dry – usually around 20 minutes.

4. Finish with either a dark or clear Annie Sloan wax or leave untreated How to create ornamental branches.

1. Select a branch or branch either form your home tree or from a florist 2. Paint directly on to the branches – in this case we have used Chalk Paint™ colour Napoleonic Blue on the branches 3. For the decorations, simply choose your favourite wooden or cardboard decoration and paint directly – we have used hand painted folky decorations in various colours.

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Christmas

Easy Christmas Craft Nothing gets you more into the Christmas Spirit than creating Christmas Craft with your children. If you are anything like me however, Craft is a scary word. I am not crafty or imaginative when it comes to creating something that looks great. My daughter on the other hand loves craft, so as a busy mum I wanted to share with you some fantastic Christmas Craft Ideas and some ‘all-inclusive’ simple craft pack and activities that you can enjoy with your children.

Christmas Wreath Create your own Wreath to hang on your door, Christmas Tree or around the house.

Requires: • 1 x Wooden Wreath ($1.65) • PVA Glue • Rhinestones/Gems or other decorations Steps • Paint a plain wooden wreath. in your desired colour. Allow to dry.

• Use PVA glue to attach the decorations.

Craft Tip: Put a disposable table cloth over your table to protect it from paint and glue

Craft Tip: Label the back of the decorations with your child’s name and the year

Cardboard Reindeer A very simple ‘all inclusive’ activity that leaves no mess . The activity can be completed in under 10 minutes making it ideal for restless crafters while the simplistic nature of the activity makes it less likely to be broken.

Requires: 1 Cardboard Reindeer Kit from CleverPatch ($9.90) Steps • Thread the Jimble bell onto the ribbon and tie ribbon around reindeers neck.

• Peg the wooden pegs onto the body of the reindeer as legs.

• Add eyes and Rhinestone nose Kit includes Cardboard Reindeer cutouts, wiggle eyes, ribbon, jingle bells, wooden pegs and instructions. Measures 12.5 x 17.5cm when assembled.

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Christmas

Christmas Bead CleverKit Create your own necklace, bracelet, Keyring holder or tree decoration.

Simply use the materials provided in the Kit and thread the beads onto the elastic to create the pattern desired.

Only $2.90+gst

Terracotta Bird Requires: 1 set of Terracotta Birds (4pk) 1 Set of Terracotta & Ceramic Markers Steps: • Using the Terracotta Markers (like textas), create a unique design on your bird. • Add a ribbon or string to the bird to attach it to your Christmas Tree or around the house. **Ideal as gifts for Family Members you could decorate the birds or a Ceramic Tealight Holder instead

Brought to you by CleverPatch. Find all the supplies to complete these activities & more at: www.cleverpatch.com.au

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Christmas

Papier Mache Bauble Diorama The Bauble comes plain for you to decorate. ($2.09) Steps: Paint the Bauble as desired.

Decorate the Bauble with a fairy, baby Jesus, Christmas Tree or photo to create your Diorama

Cork Reindeer CleverKit Requires: 1 x Cork Reindeer CleverKit ($2.00) Steps: • Cut toothpick in half and attach the head to the body with the toothpick.

• Use glue dots (provided) to attached the legs to the body • Cut the chille stem into 4 pieces to create the antlers • Use the other toothpick to poke holes into the reindeers head which you then insert antlers into.

• Fold the ribbon in half. Use the glue dot to attach the loose ends to your reindeers head

• Use a glue dot to attach the foam head to the back of your reindeers head.

• Use a glue dot to attach the foam tail to the back of your reindeer • Use a glue dot to attach the red pom pom as a nose and wiggly eye to finish reindeer.

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Brought to you by CleverPatch. Find all the supplies to complete these activities & more at: www.cleverpatch.com.au

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christmas competition

Win

Great

Prizes

1 x Tupperware Active Lunch Set

1 x Dunhill Desire Black 50ml

2 x Laserco Teddy Speakers

3 x Tinker Bell and The Pirate Fairy DVDs + Bonus Tinkerbell Fairy Wings

Battroborg Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles Electronic Battle Game

3 x Entropy Books

Over $1,300 in prizes

My Fair Lady Gift 3 x The Phoenix Year Books

1 x Lamaze Prize Pack

1 x ecostore beauty pack

Battroborg Warrior Battle Arena Set

5 x A Belle for Christmas DVDs

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1 x Large Milky Foot Intense Exfoliation Pads

3 x Planes: Fire & Rescue DVDs

1 x La Tavola Della Famiglia' cookbook

3 x The Love of Marisol books

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5 x The Holiday Tree DVDs

Christmas

Chatelle Napoleon Christmas Cake Recipe Ingredients 1 cup rasins 1 cup sultanas 2 cups currants ¾ cup glace cherries, halved ½ cup candied fruit peel, chopped fine Zest of 1 lemon ½ cup CHATELLE NAPOLEON French Brandy Pinch of salt 1 ½ cups of all-purpose flour 1 teaspoon cinnamon 1 teaspoon mixed spice 1 ¼ cup butter, softened to room temperature 1 ¼ cup soft brown sugar, firmly packed 6 large eggs, brought to room temperature then lightly beaten Method 1. Combine fruit and brandy in a large bowl; stir thoroughly, then over and leave to macerate overnight.

2. Preheat oven to 150 degrees C. Butter a 20cm cake tin, then line it with a double thickness of greaseproof paper.

3. In a medium-sized bowl sift together the flour, salt and spices. Set aside.

4. Cream the butter and sugar together in a large bowl until light and fluffy then gradually add the beaten eggs. It is best not to rush to avoid curdling the mixture.

5. Add the macerated fruit to the butter mixture.

Fold in half of the flour mixture until it is well incorporated then do the same for the remaining flour mixture.

6. Carefully spoon the cake mixture into the greased and lined tin, eliminating any possible air pockets.

7. Bake for 4 ½ hours. Avoid opening the oven door too often as this can cause the cake to fall. However, if you notice that the cake is browning too soon, cover the tin with a double layer of parchment paper after the second hour of baking.

8. Allow cake to cool in the tin on a wire rack for 1 hour then remove it so it can cool completely. Once cooled use a metal skewer to prick the surface of the cake all over and slowly pour over 3 tablespoons of brandy.

9. Carefully wrap the cake in greaseproof paper and store in an airtight container between feedings.

10. The cake can be iced prior to serving. **Baking tip: tie a double band of newspaper or brown paper around the outside of the tin and place it on a double layer of newspaper in the lower park of the oven for slow, even baking and to avoid over browning.

Christmas Shortbread Ingredients 225g plain flour, sifted 115g McKenzie's Rice Flour 115g caster sugar 1 pinch salt 225g butter, at room temperature

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Christmas Method 1. Preheat oven to 150oC. Grease a baking tray.

2. Combine sieved flour, rice flour, sugar and salt in a bowl. Rub in butter 3. and knead gently until a smooth dough forms.

4. Transfer onto a floured surface and shape as desired.

5. Place onto a greased tray and prick with a fork. Bake in the oven for 40 6. minutes or until lightly golden. Allow to cool.

Our delicious shortbread recipe is so versatile and can be gifted in so many ways.

• Create a stack of shortbread and tie with string. Add a tag.

• Line a box with tissue paper and loosely pack with shortbread.

• For espresso-chocolate shortbread, add 1 tbs of instant coffee with the dry ingredients.

• Add 30g of melted dark chocolate when the butter is added and rub in until a smooth • dough forms.

• To make coconut-lime shortbread, add 2 tbs of lime zest and ½ cup of dessicated coconut to the dry ingredients.

Roast Turkey Fillet Ingredients • 1 to 2 kg Turkey Breast Fillet • 200 grams of butter • 2 Cloves of garlic, chopped • Zest of large lemon • 4 Tbsp chopped herbs (parsley, tarragon & chives work well) • Sea salt & Cracked pepper • 1 cup reduced chicken stock Method 1. Melt butter with garlic stirring. Remove from heat as soon as garlic smells fragrant before it starts to brown.

2. Add zest of lemon 3. Turkey fillet can be tied into a roll or netted. You may choose to stuff it at this stage if you need to make it feed more people.

4. Season well then brush with the butter mix.

5. Scatter over fresh herbs. Refrigerate until ready to cook.

6. Preheat oven to 200C\Roast for 1 hour in an inch of water 7. Reduce heat to 180C and cook a further 45 mins. (adjust up and down depending on size) 8. To check it is ready, insert a thin skewer, the juices should be clear, not pink.

9. Remove to a warm platter, cover with foil.

10. Deglaze the pan with the chicken stock. Reduce until syrupy.

Recipe from Janine Hunt at The Chicken Party from Markets of Melbourne

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Christmas

Gluten Free Christmas Cake Ingredients • 750g premium mixed fruit (sultanas, raisins, currants) • 1 cup Changing Habits Rapadura Sugar • 1/2 cup brandy or sherry • 1/2 cup water • 50g Changing Habits Cacao Wafers • 1 cup crushed pineapple (including the juice) • 185g Changing Habits Coconut Oil (or butter, chopped) • 3 organic free range eggs, beaten • 1 1/4 cups buckwheat flour or Changing Habits Einkorn Flour • 1 cup almond meal • 1 tsp baking powder • 1/4 tsp bicarbonate soda • 1 tbsp raw cacao and cardamom • 1 tsp mixed spice • 1 tsp ground ginger • Cacao nibs for decoration • 1 Changing Habits Vanilla Bean, scraped Method 1. Preheat oven to 130°C – 140°C.

3. Add the beaten eggs then fold in sifted buckwheat flour, almond meal, baking powder, soda and spices.

4. Place in a lined and greased 23cm tin. Sprinkle with cacao nibs.

5. Bake for approximately 2hours or until cooked and tested with skewer.

6. Check after 1hour and again at 90mins.

7. When cool sprinkle over the top some straight brandy and allow to seep into the cake!

8. Serve with fresh whipped coconut cream or cream and ENJOY!

2. Place mixed fruit, sugar, brandy, water, cacao wafers, crushed pineapple and coconut oil (or Recipe provided by Changing Habits. Find out butter) in a saucepan. Bring to the boil, stirring more here: www.changinghabits.com.au all the time and simmer over a medium heat for about 5minutes. Allow to cool.

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SUMMER BERRY PUDDING Ingredients • 500g strawberries, hulled • 1 cup sugar • 1/2 cup fresh orange juice • 2 teaspoon orange zest, finely grated • 150g fresh raspberries • 300g fresh blueberries • 475g frozen mixed berries, thawed • 1 loaf sliced day-old white bread, crusts removed • Extra berries and thick cream, to serve Method Serves: 6-8 Preparation Time: 25 Minutes + Refrigerate Overnight Cooking Time: 8 Minutes 1.

Cut the strawberries into halves or quarters and place in a saucepan over low heat with the sugar, orange juice and zest. Stir until sugar dissolves then add the raspberries and blueberries. Cook for 3-4 minutes, add the frozen berries and continue cooking for a further 3-4 minutes.

Christmas 5.

Spoon in the berries once all the sides are lined with bread, then top with more slices of bread to enclose the fruit. Pour a little more liquid over the pudding.

6.

Fold the plastic wrap over the bread on top (which will become the base of the pudding) then place a piece of cardboard on the top and weigh down with a can of food. Transfer to the refrigerator and chill overnight.

7.

When ready to serve, remove the can and the cardboard from the top of the pudding.

Invert the pudding steamer onto a serving plate.

The pudding should slip free of the plastic wrap.

8.

Serve with fresh berries and cream.

Note: Keep the cooking liquid until ready to serve. If there are any spots on the sides of the pudding that haven’t soaked up the juices, brush the extra liquid on.

Recipe provided by World Kitchen

2.

Remove from the heat and cool slightly before straining the berries, reserving the cooking liquid.

3.

Line a Baker's Secret Pudding Steamer with layers of plastic wrap so the base and sides are fully covered. Make sure there is enough over hanging the sides as the plastic will be folded back over the pudding.

4.

Place the reserved berry liquid in a large shallow bowl. Working one at a time, take slices of bread and dip them lightly (do not soak for too long) into the liquid then place around the base and sides of the pudding steamer, pressing up against the plastic wrap. You may need to cut a couple of the slices to fit the steamer.

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Food

Special: Microwave Recipes

Win a Panasonic SteamCombi Microwave Chocolate Cake in 60 seconds Now everyone has time to make cake. This quick and simple recipe is sure to please the chocolate lovers.

Renowned chef Soren Lascelles shows how easy it is to produce this mouth-watering dish using a Panasonic Microwave. Try it for yourself!

Ingredients 5 tsp cocoa powder 3 tbs spelt flour 1 pinch salt 3 tsp sugar or evaporated cane juice 0.25 tsp baking powder 3 tsp coconut oil or vegetable oil 3 tbs milk, of choice 0.5 tsp pure vanilla extract hand mixer microwave oven Instructions 1. Place all dry ingredients in a bowl and mix well using a hand mixer.

2. Add liquid and stir then transfer to either a small dish or even a coffee mug.

3. Microwave for 30-40 seconds Recipe provided by Panasonic through The Ideas Kitchen

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Steamed Whole Snapper, Soy-Ginger Broth, Shitake Mushrooms And Coriander

Ingredients 2 whole snapper, ask fishmonger to gut, scale and clean for you.

400ml chicken stock 30ml light soya sauce Pinch of white sugar Grind of white pepper 50g ginger peeled and sliced wafer thin, then sliced again to resemble skinny matchsticks 1 punnet shitake mushrooms, sliced 1 punnet oyster mushrooms, sliced 1 bunch shallots, thinly sliced 1 bunch coriander, picked Instructions 1. Place the 2 whole fish in a deep glass Microwave safe dish, add the mushrooms, sugar, white pepper, ginger and the chicken stock, cover with cling wrap.

2. Place tray in the Microwave and put it on micro power setting, medium-low and set timer for 6 minutes then flip fish over and continue for a further 7 minutes.

3. After this check the fish by slicing into the flesh to see if its cooked through to the center, times may vary slightly depending on the size of the fish.

4. Once cooked taste the broth and depending on your preference it may need a touch more soya sauce.

5. Garnish with the sliced shallots and the picked coriander.

By Soren Lascelles for Panasonic

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Food

Simply add your favourite Microwave Recipe to MumsDelivery to win!

Creamy potato bake Ingredients: 6-10 potatoes depending on size 300ml cream 1/2 cup milk chicken noodle or french onion packet soup mix 1-2 tbls Dijon mustard 1/2 onion – thinly sliced handful of diced bacon (optional) grated cheese Method: • Thinly slice potatoes. Layer potatoes in a microwave dish that has a lid, adding bacon and onion between layers.

• Combined cream, milk, soup mix and mustard together. Pour over potatoes. Cream mix should cover potatoes but, not be swimming in it. Reduce if required. Need more? Add extra milk.

Cover with grated cheese.

• Cook for 15 minutes with lid on. Check to see if potatoes are soft. Continue to cook in 5 minutes intervals checking softness until done.Depending on your microwave this will take between 2035 minutes.

Quick Fudge

Ingredients: 400 grams condensed milk 400 grams chocolate (dark or milk) 1/2 cup brown sugar 1 tbls golden syrup 1 cup of your choice – nuts, dried fruit, smarties, raspberry lollies, etc.

Method: • Line a square cake pan with baking paper.

• Sprinkle your nuts/fruit or lollies over the pan, ensure they are spread evenly.

• In a microwave safe bowl add the condensed milk, chocolate, brown sugar and syrup.

Microwave on high for 2 minutes.

• Remove bowl, mix well and return to the microwave on high for another two minutes.

• Repeat the above the step again.

• Remove bowl, mix well and pour quickly and evenly over your base.

• Refrigerate until set. Remove and cut into squares. (4)

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Food

Healthy, versatile cooking, made easy with the Panasonic Steam Combi Microwave Panasonic’s NN-DS592B offers a steam, double grill and microwave in one. It’s the perfect compact kitchen appliance for those who want to cook a variety of healthy foods quickly and easily.

This Steam Combi 27L microwave offers an innovative steam function that maintains flavour, moisture and nutrients for healthy, tasty food; and a double grill tray that roasts and bakes like a conventional oven. Using the appropriate tray or rack (bundled with the microwave), you can cook a wider variety of foods including roasts, sponge puddings and pizza.

Panasonic’s Inverter Technology uses modulated power to ensure your food is cooked evenly every time. The Microwave also features Flatbed Technology, eliminating the turntable to allow more room in the microwave for larger dishes, and making it easier to clean. This 27 litre microwave has a cooking area equivalent to a conventional 44L turntable model.

In addition, automatic pre-programmed cooking modes make preparing perfectly cooked food even simpler – including 22 Auto Menus, sensor reheat, steam reheat and steam defrost.

The NN-DS592B is a must-have addition to any modern kitchen, offering cooking versatility with a spacious interior and stylish finish. It offers an easy to use dial and button control with an LCD display, half-mirror glass and black piano finish.

The Panasonic NN-DS592B Steam Combi microwave oven is available now from leading consumer electronics retailers priced at RRP $769.

For more information and local stockist details, contact Panasonic on 132 600 or visit www.panasonic.com.au

We have 2 of these to giveaway! Enter today.

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Reviewed

Holidays

Panasonic Steam Combi Microwave helps mums provide more nutritious healthier, tastier food in a faster, easier manner. RRP $769. Read the review or see it on Youtube.

The Kambrook X Blade Pro Food Prep food processor offers a great solution for mums looking for a machine offering multiple uses, without taking up too much valuable kitchen space. RRP $149.95 Find out more: www.kambrook.com.au

The Green Gorilla – Fruit Delivery There was a good mix of both fruit and vegetables, which is great for us as the children eat so much fruit during the day and we like to have at least two veggie options with dinner.

RRP: from $45 Available from: The Green Gorilla

The Ball® Home Preserving Kit is designed to be a starter pack for anyone who wants to start preserving or making Jam. It includes three (3) jars, preserving rack with lifter and some preserving tools RRP – $35 Available: www.freshpreserving.com.au

Panasonic ECONAVI NA-140VS4WAU No longer is washing a dreaded chore or something that messes up my day as I need to time my life around the washing machine. Having tried and tested the Panasonic ECONAVI NA-140VS4WAU front loader for the past few weeks there is a myriad of reasons for me to tell you why this washing machine offers a superior product, ideal for busy mums as it saves you time, energy and money!

See the complete review including 2 video reviews here

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Home Office

6 Smart Strategies for

As busy mums, time is our most precious currency these days and we don’t want to waste it. If you work from home, you are not only working in your business, but also juggling your family, children and school commitments on a daily basis. In order to be most productive and efficient, it is vital to surround yourself with a stylish and functional space in your home or office environment.

Interior Stylist Bettina Deda put together five clever ideas to create stylish and functional workspaces in order to stay organised and improve your wellbeing.

1.

De-clutter and tidy up Who wants to work at a messy desk? Take some time to de-clutter and tidy up your workspace.

Getting rid of physical clutter will free up your mind as well. Make it a priority, schedule it and do it! Clutter is a series of unresolved issues. Start with one drawer or storage unit at a time. Take inventory and allocate each item to one of the four piles: bin, keep, donate, and sell – then followup with action. Sort out your paperwork. Decide what can go, where you need to take action and what you need to file. Work with stylish and colourful trays to organise your mail, filing and invoices.

2. Optimise Your Storage Storage is a major topic for any homeowner. And it is even more important in a small office or workspace. Storage can be found in the most unlikely of places: think of a floor to ceiling bookshelf, corner shelving, overhead cupboards, filing cabinets on castors, towel ladders, or wire baskets. Floor to ceiling bookshelves are a great way to maximise storage by using beautiful storage boxes. At the same time use the shelves to display favourite objects. Magazines look great when you display them on a towel ladder. Keep wrapping paper in a nice basket on the floor, and use glass jars to show colourful desk accessories like tape, ribbon or paper clips. Hide away the stuff you don’t want to see and display objects that motivate and inspire you.

In order to define your storage needs, I recommend assessing your space. Answer yourself the question: What would I like this space to do for me? Write down your answers. They will give you an indication what storage containers or units you will need. With this preparation, you are well organised and won’t waste time nor money running around and not finding anything.

3. Create your personal space If you do not have a separate room for your home office, be creative and think of space in your home you could convert into a working space, for example a bench along a window, an unused area between two cupboards, or a niche in a room, under a staircase or under a pitched roof.

Invest in custom-made shelving and furniture to maximise the space and optimise storage. Have a hole cut into the bench for cables and chargers. Add a few shelves for storage over the desk or – if you work in front of a window – use low shelving units underneath the windowsill. Jump over to this Pinterest board for more ideas and inspiration!

4. Transform a room by using clever furniture If you work from home and only have one spare room, optimise this space by furnishing and decorating it as two rooms: guest room and study for example. The secret is to source furniture that is versatile and that you can use for different purposes. For example, use a comfortable sofa bed, which functions as a cosy lounge in your study and as a bed for your guests. Place a nest of tables next to the sofa bed and add an occasional chair as a seating option. Use a small desk (check out trestle tables!) with a comfortable chair for your work, and as additional table for your guests. Keep it free of clutter, and it will work as occasional table for your visitors. Use an open

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work spaces in small places

Home Office

shelf with stylish storage boxes to organise your office space and store books and magazines for your guests.

Another versatile piece and great (office) storage unit is a chest of drawers. Alternatively, use a storage cabinet with sliding doors. Be creative with your wall space and place coloured wall hooks in an interesting pattern to create an eye-catching display and functional hooks at the same time.

5. Splurge on an ergonomic chair or standing desk Invest in an ergonomic chair to avoid back problems, pain in the shoulders and neck and have a better lumbar support. Ergonomic chairs let you adjust the height of the seat so that your feet are flat on the floor while working. Also check the width, the depth and the lumbar support when trying a chair. The chair should not force you to slouch while seated. Another great way to stay healthy is a standing desk. Google ‘standing desks’ and you will find a myriad of solutions from office suppliers to inexpensive DIY versions.

6. Use the right lighting Firstly, always maximise the daylight for your working space. Then, consider energy-efficient LED downlights or a decorative table lamp, suited for working tasks. LED is becoming more and more popular, and designers keep pushing the boundaries with their creations. Make sure the lighting follows your needs. There are lights available with changeable filters to adjust the light temperature from warm to neutral white. When not working, these lights allow you to create a warm and cosy atmosphere around your desk by changing the light temperature.

Bettina Deda is an interior stylist, colour consultant, blogger, author and speaker. She helps empty nesters alleviate their frustrations when downsizing by guiding them along an easy-to-follow 5-step process. Empty nesters will overcome procrastination, get rid off their clutter and stuff, become clear what to keep, and eventually achieve a stylish and functional home in a more compact space. She is the author of the first style guide for people downsizing to an apartment, Downsize With Style.

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Home Office

Tips to successfully

With technology advancing on a daily basis and allowing us to communicate internationally at the press of a button, it’s no surprise that rather than returning to work outside the home after having children, more and more women are now launching their own home-based businesses. In fact, women now own almost half of the 900,000+ home-based businesses in Australia (according to Greg Bondor, Executive Chairman of the Home Based Business Network).

Women want the flexibility of being able to work around their family’s needs, able to respond quickly when their children are sick or as necessary within the myriad of other responsibilities working mothers have. However, many women who run their own business from home often feel torn between dedicating their time to growing their business and the requirements of their home and family. Many women feel guilty because they’re spending time on their business and feel they are abandoning their children, or they are spending time with their family when they want to be working on and in their business.

So how can you find more balance and how can you make working from home work for you?

Here are 5 tips to working from home successfully: 1.

Have a vision

Do you have a picture in your head of what success will look like for you? Do you have goals written down for your business and personal life? Do you know how much money you want to earn, how many hours you want to work and who you want to work with? Do you know what it is you are working for – to pay off your mortgage, buy a better car, put your children through university, plan for your retirement or go on a long holiday? If you don’t have a clear picture of what you want your business to achieve, it will be easy to lose focus and direction.

2.

Set boundaries and stick to them

Decide how many hours you want to work based on your current situation. If your children are small and need your constant attention, you probably can’t plan on working 8 hours a day – you will only feel frustration and resentment when it doesn’t happen. You can always change this figure as your family dynamic changes, but it is imperative that you are realistic to begin with. Write down all the tasks you have to complete in an average week for your home and your work and then work out how many hours you can and want to dedicate to your business. If it is important to you to spend time with your children when they come home from school, set the alarm for ten minutes before they get home, turn off your computer, tidy your desk and mentally switch from work mode to family mode.

3.

Make a plan

As the old saying goes “to fail to plan is to plan to fail”. How often have you started working as soon as the kids have left for school and what feels like five minutes later they’re knocking on the door and you feel like you haven’t achieved anything? At the start of each week make a list of everything that has to be completed by the end of the week. Every morning, spend ten minutes planning the day and if you are someone who is easily distracted, set times against each task and stick to them as best you can.

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work from home

4.

Home Office

Have a designated work space

This doesn’t need to be a huge glamorous office built onto the side of your house – it can be an existing room (that you perhaps only use occasionally for guests) or part of another room that you can easily access without too much disruption to the rest of the family. Perhaps you have a corner in your lounge room or family room that is currently used for storage or holds a piece of furniture that isn’t used very often. Perhaps you have space under your stairs or at one end of your dining room, or perhaps you can steal a wall of the garage from the clutches of the garden tools and car products. Whatever you decide, make it work for you with an effective paper storage system and somewhere for you to sit comfortably with the tools you need for your work.

5.

Get dressed for work every day

I’m not suggesting that you put on a dress suit and stockings, but it’s easy to fall into the trap of staying in your pyjamas and slippers all day. By changing into your “work” clothes, you consciously make the transition between home and work which helps you to focus and not be so easily distracted by household chores.

Written by Sharon Chisholm, an award winning Professional Organiser and Coach. She specialises in helping women business owners establish an organised and efficient home, in order to create the space they need in their lives to run a successful and profitable business. Find her at www.therestfulnest.com.au

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Home Office

5 tips for choosing a

Whether your home office is the heart of your business, a work-from-home station or your children’s homework hub, a well-equipped space will make it easier to get jobs done.

In this day and age, integrated and streamlined technology is at the heart of the home office.

Choosing printers, computers, audio systems, mobile phones, tablets and internet connections that work together seamlessly means your family can get assignments and work done without the distraction of IT issues.

A printer is an important piece of technology for every home office. Its printing and scanning abilities can be used to print homework and family photos, keep a record of bills and receipts, proof read contracts and important documents in hard-copies, and can store digital copies of important personal documents, such as passports and birth certificates.

Here are five things to consider when buying a printer for your home office: 1.

What do you need it for?

Make a list of all the things you’d like your printer to do. Do you want to print in colour or black and white? Would you like scanning, copying, faxing and/or printing functionality?

What devices does it need to be compatible with?

A single function printer is a simple and costeffective option for those who only need to print.

A multi-function printer is an all-in-one device that has photocopying, scanning, printing, emailing and sometimes faxing functions. By combining multiple devices into one, multifunction printers are a convenient and space saving solution.

Also consider print speed and colour quality.

Printing family photos will require high colour quality print outs, while fast print speeds will mean less time waiting for lengthy documents.

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2.

How does the printer connect?

Most printers are now capable of printing directly via a Wi-Fi network from a mobile device. This eliminates cables and the need for a PC. Enquire about mobile and Wi-Fi connectivity when you’re shopping for a printer, bearing in mind the kind of devices your family uses.

Apple devices use Airprint and Android devices use Google Cloud print. Check that your printer is compatible with either or both of these.

Alternatively, the printer may have its own dedicated mobile app available for download through app stores.

3.

Is it easy to use?

There are few things more frustrating than IT issues. Ease of use is a major consideration when buying a printer. Ask how easy the printer is to install and use, requesting a demo in-store if possible. You’ll want to know the software requirements for installation and how to connect for WiFi and mobile printing, replace cartridges and toner, and troubleshoot common issues, such as paper jams.

It’s also worth asking about the supplier’s customer support options, and whether they have a customer service phone number, online support and video tutorials. In the event of a problem, you should be able to contact the service team quickly and easily.

4.

Consider consumables.

Consumables, such as toners and cartridges, need to be replaced over the life of a printer.

When researching printers, ask about the type and cost of consumables required. Using a special toner called an EA-Eco toner can save up to 20 per cent power consumption and reduce carbon emissions by 35 per cent.

Look for a printer with an Energy Star rating.

Along with helping to keep the environment greener, it will save you money and reduce energy.

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home office printer 5.

Does the brand and printer have a good reputation?

High quality printers will produce better quality print-outs faster, be easier to use and last longer. Choose a brand you trust and read reviews online before buying.

An Energy Star rated printer is designed to reduce energy consumption and the cost of printing to help keep the environment greener.

For more information, visit www. fujixeroxprinters.com.au or call 1300 793 769

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Home Office

WIN a Fuji Xerox DocuPrint CM215 fw valued at $405.

This multi-function colour printer is perfect for families, students and the home office.

A compact, high-performance printer makes printing homework, work documents, recipes and family photos a breeze. Users can easily print from a laptop, Smartphone or tablet.

Simply Tell Us: What’s your home office tip?

Enter the competition here

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Home Office

Latest Apps Picture Postie Photo Prints Bring your Pics to Life! For superior visual and archival quality prints, we use professional silver halide Fuji equipment.

Picture Postie enables smartphone users to print photos directly from their Instagram, Facebook, Flickr and camera roll.

Starting at 15c per print Download the Picture Postie App Free from iTunes or Google Play

PT IN MY POCKET is an audio driven fitness app giving you workouts that require no equipment or gym visits. It’s like having your own personal trainer right there with you in the room, pushing you along with motivational and upbeat cues. Available on both Apple and Android, so there are no more excuses!

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Home Office

Modern Office Equipment DeLonghi Brushed Metal Finish Slim Tower Fan RRP $229 Available: Leading Retailers

Fuji Xerox DocuPrint CM215 fw www.fujixeroxprinters.com.au

Ucomm Whiteboard and Accessories 900x600mm, RRP$27.79 Stockist: Officeworks

Pure Jongo speakers. From $199 Sydnee 4 USB port www.pure.com/au/ Rechargable Station $129.95

www.scholastic.com.au/shop

Crashmat Storage Boxes Set of two for $39.95 Available in 5 colour options www.crashmatstore.com Venturo 3 Drawer Pedestal Red, RRP$149.00 Stockist: Officeworks

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Home Office Turn the home into a super-fast charging hub and put an end to the battle for power sockets with the new USB Powerpoints from leading electrical brands HPM and Legrand.

Featuring smart, integrated dual USB modules, the powerpoints allow users to charge phones, tablets, sports watches and cameras at top speed without having to unplug kitchen appliances, bedside lamps or computers

Home Charge Solutions WIN, WIN WIN!

With more and more portable devices entering our households, people need a solution to charge all these device quickly and without the cable clutter in one handy location. With the Sydnee you can recharge up to 4 smartphones, tablets, e-readers or MP3 players simultaneously. Each individual USB port pumps out 2.1-amps/10W of power for quick charging. The Sydnee also includes a “smart charge� feature that detects which device is charging and adjusts to provide optimum supply of power. There is also built-in short circuit protection to provide you with peace of mind while your devices are charging.

RRP: $129.95. Available from Apple Australia, your local Apple Independent store, Leading Edge Computers or via the Scholastic Shop @ www.scholastic.com.au/shop

The PowerDock 5 from Griffin Technology is a space-efficient charging station for storing and charging 5 devices simultaneously. Perfect for small offices, work groups or a family full of iPhone users, the PowerDock 5 gives each device its own charging port and backrest. Cables are not included with the PowerDock 5. RRP: USD$99

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Home Office Laser 10 USB charging station Allows you to universally charge up to ten USB powered devices at the same time. The charging station works with most devices charged with a USB cable such as phones, cameras, GPS devices and e-readers.

RRP: $69.95

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Click here to win one of these awesome DVDs Everyone’s favourite investigative mouse is back for some allnew adventures in the latest installment of the popular Geronimo series, Geronimo Stilton: Season One, Volume Two. Based on the best-selling children’s book that has been translated into 30 different languages, published in over 100 countries and sold more than 75 million books worldwide, Geronimo Stilton has jumped off the paper and onto screens in this second volume of the exciting animated series.

Release date: 6th November $19.95 Tinker Bell and The Pirate Fairy – Digital, DVD and Blu-Ray Description: Discover the latest exciting installment of everyone’s favourite fairy, Tinker Bell, when the swashbuckling new adventure “Tinker Bell and The Pirate Fairy” releases on Digital, DVD and Blu-ray this November.

RRP: DVD $39.95 | Blu-ray $49.95 Available: November 12 Yellow! I mean, hello! Ready, Steady, Wiggle! Is the first TV series featuring Anthony, Emma, Lachy and Simon and here is a selection of twelve “bow-tiful” episodes picked by Emma herself as some of her favourites from the series. With segments including ‘Anthony’s Alphabet’, ‘Wiggle House’, and ‘Professor Simon’, over fifty Wiggles songs and special features of some of Emma’s dance lessons, you’ll be wiggling with delight!

Release Date: 5 November

A group of animals plan a trip to Delhi in order to ask the parliament why the forest they live in is on the verge of destruction.

CAST/DIRECTOR: Cary Elwes, Troy Baker, Christopher Lloyd/Nikhil Advani Release Date: 5 November

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Paw Patrol No job is too big, no pup is too small!

These paws uphold the laws!

Tackle the high-stakes rescue missions of the Paw Patrol crew with these cute action-figure pups, plush pups and transforming vehicles.

RRP: from $9.99.

Stockists: Target, Big W, Toys R Us, Toyworld & Myer.

Dreambaby® Sliding Glass Door Safety Decals are ideal for preventing dangerous accidents that can happen when a child runs into a closed sliding glass door. The decals are visible from both sides of the door, helping children (and adults) realise the doors are closed. RRP $5.95 Find out more: www.dreambaby.com.au

LeapTV LeapTV™ the first educational, active video gaming system designed just for kids. With LeapTV, every child can learn and play in a way that is appropriate for them.

RRP: $229.00*ea from all major retailers and independent toy stores

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Beado Quick Dry Station The Beados™ Quick Dry Station is the all in one station to make, spray and dry your Beados™ creations! Boasting 500 Beados™ and a quick to use pen for easy application.

RRP: $29.99 Available from all good toy retailers nationwide

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HeadsUp is a new Australian product specifically formulated to prevent the symptoms of hangover.

HeadsUp is special combination of plant extracts, vitamins and minerals with best results gained by taking the four (4) tablets before bed after consuming alcohol. Single pack $9.95 http://www.headsuprelief.com.au/

Homepeel - Pigmentation Night Cream For the Ultimate Beauty Sleep An active night cream using the power of 3 proven ingredients to reduce pigmentation, melasma and hyper-pigmentation.

RRP $49.95 Avaialble from: http://www.homepeel.com.au/ skin-pigmentation-treatment-night-cream.php

Battroborg TMNT Set to be summers hottest toy, Turtles unite to train, battle and defeat their opponents in a motion controlled battle experience. Control Leonardo, Michelangelo, Donatello and Raphael as they master their battle skills in the secret training arena RRP: $99.95. Find out more: battroborg.com

VS Sassoon ‘Evoke’ Pro Ceramic Straightener LAUNCHING just in time for the party season: the ultimate luxury hair styling gift - the Limited Edition VS SASSOON ‘EVOKE’ PRO CERAMIC STRAIGHTENER. Enjoy perfect, frizz-free shiny hair this Christmas.

RRP $79.95 including a bonus VELVET pouch valued at $29.95. Stockists: 1800 650 263

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Win, Win, Win! Massive Christmas Competition We love Celebrating Christmas at MumsDelivery and what better way to spread the Christmas Cheer than to hold a massive competition and giveaway fantastic Christmas Prizes! We have over $1,300 in prizes to be won! You can win a little something for yourself or win prizes to be used as gifts this Christmas – either way You have Got to be In it to Win it!

Healthy, versatile cooking made easy with Panasonic Steam Combi Microwave Panasonic’s NN-DS592B offers a steam, double grill and microwave in one. It’s the perfect compact kitchen appliance for those who want to cook a variety of healthy foods quickly and easily.

Win one of these amazing Microwaves, simply by submitting your favourite recipe! 2 to be won!

Win 1 of 10 copies The Naughty List on DVD plus 5 Sipahh straws Thanks to the Universal Sony Pictures Home Entertainment release of The Naughty List on DVD, you could win 1 of 10 copies! PLUS each DVD comes with 5 Chrismint Sipahh Straws. YUM! The North Pole is the jolliest place on earth where everyday feels like Christmas, until two of Santa’s elves find themselves on the naughty list!

More Prizes Lassig Vintage Metro Nappy Bag

Sponky Clip Anywhere Toy & Teething Ring

Lassig 4Kids Wildlife Backpack & Washcloth

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