mimoo mantra monday +one

I am feeling her.....

A funny blog I read called How about Orange has just announced she is closing her Etsy store and her reasons seem to be the same way I am feeling at the moment! ha it is a funny read and the commenters all seem to have done the same!

Helllo Strangers

Anyone else out there who run an online business sometimes get to the stage where you feel like you have lost a bit of your mojo??? I think a big part of running any business craft or not is that you have to constantly evolve, update and try new things but sometimes you just run out of steam......

Plus sometimes I feel that the baby and kids market is so oversaturated by SAHM all trying to do their own thing whether it be making things themselves or importing from overseas. It is becoming so hard to compete and make yourself stand out from crowd when you have no knowledge whatsoever of marketing or branding....

If anyone has some advice on how you get past this little hump I would love to hear it.

BrisStyle styling and some purchases

what do you think of my new mimoo banner? pretty spiffy I think and to attach it to my stall I simply some on some sticky backed velrco directly onto my felt table cloth. Sorry about the dodgy picture as my set up was a bit messy and I had a very ugly mesh door behind me!

I purchased a few treats on the day also below is the cutest little coin purse for my niece's 6th birthday present from Little mary moo and then my mum treated the little mimoo to a much sought after wheresbeckybean bag! This has taken pride of place in little mimoo's play room where her swanky new training bike resides. Her super cute A-Z canvas poster can be found here, little mimoo loves hers!

mimoo mantra monday

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The richest man on the earth is the one with his last friend, not his first dollar

Book giveaway

A wee while back I mentioned I was getting back onto the book reading wagon and I was starting out with the above book, Mamamia by Mia Freedman. As you may know she writes a really popular blog called (funnily enough) mamamia. I cant say I loved this book but it was a very easy read and was written in exactly the same way as her blog so if you are a fan you will like this. so if you would like to receive this book just be the first to post a comment with your email and I will email you for your address and I will post out the book on Monday!!

Rain rain go away come again......next week

Please go away rain as it will comprmise all the fun stuff we have planned this Saturday at BrisStyle's first market of 2010! If you are local come over and say hi , even if it is still raining!

Saturday 6th March 2010 9am - 2pm

St Augustine's Church Hall and Grounds

Racecourse Rd, Hamilton, Brisbane, Qld

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It costs you nothing to dream, and everything not to-anon.

Reflections...

Something I have not done in a wee while is joining in on this weeks Blog This challenge. They are always great fun to get you thinking and also to check out everyone elses' posts.

check it out here

Well in light of the current Winter Olympics being held in Vancouver, Canada I thought I would reflect on my last ski trip.(sniff sniff) These photos were taken in Chamonix, France in February 2006 and this was our last ski trip as little mimoo was born 9 months later - you do the maths.....I dream of the day when I do this again even though I was not particularly good at it!

Blacked out ???

Last night here at mimoo HQ we lost power in our street just on dinner time. I am ashamed to say that I was immediately gripped with panic at the thought of a long hot night ahead with no TV or internet/computer... but mr mimoo quickly whipped into action and pulled out some camping gear, gas lantern and portable DVD player. calm was restored and all was okay 4 hours later the power came back on...

However it left me thinking all day today as to how much our mimoo family relies on all things electronic and was thinking of a blog I have been reading lately called sunnymummy and a recent post of hers here and I am thinking of doing the same?? mmmmmnnn am I brave enough?

Organ Donor Awareness Week

Sunday kicked off our national Organ Donor Awareness Week here in Oz. check it out here.

A very good friend of mine is a social worker for the renal unit at the RBH and the stories she has recently told me are awful and frustrating. Obviously many problems can be alleviated by receiving organs and all we need to do is either register at medicare or even just discuss your wishes with your family.

I cannot begin to imagine how heartbreaking it must be live each day not knowing how long you have left before your organs fail or worse to be a parent and watch your small child day in, day out suffer and know that there are people out there that could potentially help but due to ignorance and lack of public knowledge the unimaginable could happen. If you just check the donor week page above you can click on the 'myths' and it will clear up any you may have before you elect to donate.

On the other side of this and perhaps a bit more selfish is that in signing up our family to become organ donors which, we at mimoo HQ did months ago, if something happened to one of them I would take great comfort in the fact that their organs has potentially saved 4 or 5 lives and also saved their families having not to say goodbye to someone they loved as well.

last but not least check out this even more real blog post here.

mimoo mantra monday

The days are long but the years are short - Anon.

*A tribute quote for a very talented Twinkle Star Art who has decided to close her business temporarily to spend time with her family Good Luck Amanda!

Mathilda's Market Brisbane

Purchases from MM Brisbane

I had a lovely Saturday visit to Mathilda's Market over at the new venue of Eagle Farm Racecourse. It was a really nice setting on what was a really muggy day and I picked some nice treats for little mimoo but really they were a treat for myself for a change.(cue violins)

Cutest 70's style beach bag from Miss Haidee, a lovely bright tea towel from Retro Bird, some really 'kawaii' japanese apple deco tape,some gorgeous 100% cotton duvet set from three little trees and last but not least some divine draw liners but I dont remember the name of the stall (my bad!)

Latest purchase...

How cute are these??? I bought from the cutest shop called Lilypad designs check it out here. I thought they would look gorgeous on a chunky cardie or as a pocket detail on her jeans for winter. She will love them.

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A bit of exposure for mimoo HQ

We were very excited to find out this week that we were featured in this weeks' Madeit.com.au weekly newsletter themed Polka Dots. I have had lots of sales and loads of emails which is fab at this time of year. Check out my shop here !

On the bedside table...

I promised myself this year to starting reading again before bed or generally just more reading of books ie not magazines or blogs. I used to love reading and would go through a book a week when I lived in London as it was a lovely distraction whilst riding 'the tube' to work each day. It was a lovely distraction from the soot,filth,smell, yellings of a deranged bible 'reader', booze breath of some young upstart that thinks it is perfectly acceptable to stay out till 3am in your work clothes and just get straight back into the same clothes 3 hours later ready for 'work' oh I could go on....anyone seen that Gywneth Paltrow film Sliding Doors? well she has alot to answer for as in all my 10 years in London I did not spot a train or train station such as the one in that film all lovely and shiny and empty....truly only in the movies that one.... anyway I digress.....

I bought this book ages ago and I started it on the weekend and I am enjoying so far. I like Mia's blog and her style of writing so it is just something light and fun to get me back into the swings of things... I will post about it once finished and I would be happy to send it onto someone else so stay tuned!

mimoo mantra monday

Vintage Mimoo was here

The way to enjoy being successful is to enjoy becoming successful -anon.

Cuppa Jo anyone?

The lovely Jemma over at Handmade Kids is holding a HMK Rising Star awards and she has narrowed down the final 5 contestants.

My friend Jo at Lovestamp is one of them so head over here and vote for Jo as her designs and talent is truly original and a wonderful keepsake. I have given up hinting to my hubbie to purchase one for me so I am heading to Mathildas Market on the 20th Feb here and pick one up for myself or in the meantime check out her shop here.

Anyone wonder how they fit everything in??

Well check out this new blog/site I have come across called The Pioneer Woman. She lives on a cattle ranch, home schools, four kids, takes the most amazing photographs, cooks all her meals from scratch, whilst taking photos of her meals in a really great step by step process which is great for bad cook like moi and she released her own cookbook last year!

I am becoming quietly addicted. I made a soup she posted about here and it was so delicious. I just substituted some of the 'american' ingredients for aussie ones (what the ?? is half and half?? I googled that one!!)

She also has a whole section where you can take any of her high res photos for your own use.

(I hate it when people have narky instructions on their blog for 'using' their pictures but maybe it is just me who doesn't get that!)

And I wonder how I get everything done in a day????

Mimoo mantra monday is back!

A slow start is better then no start - Anon

Week away from the kids anyone??

We have just returned from a blissful 5 days away in Melbourne minus little mimoo to watch the Australian Open tennis. This has been our first real trip away from little mimoo since she was born and whilst I missed the little cherub it was lovely to be away with mr mimoo, just the two of us and have lovely dinners, sleep ins, and have uninterrupted baths!

I would not say I am a massive tennis fan but I was lucky enough to visit Wimbledon numerous times during our time in the UK as I really love watching it live, plus it is always a bonus seeing the divine Patrick Rafter in the flesh, so much to my delight he was competing in the 'Legends' games and I had the added bonus of seeing him play doubles against the two woodies! Not to mention he was staying at the same hotel as us so I had the triple bonus of seeing him in the flesh up close, the only minus was he was in the company of his equally gorgeous wife.....ha

Far out Brussel sprouts

I just bought this tshirt for little mimoo over here. I think it is too cuteand as little mimoo is quite the imitator these days I have had to change my colourful language somewhat so my new F word is Far Out Brussel Sprouts

More Japanese cuteness you can get locally!

my friend Christine has just recently launched a new business of all things cute from Japan mainly the bento lunch boxes and it is called Kawaii for you. (cute name!) Check out her store here.

I have purchased the little bento box with apples on it for little mimoo and it is so cute. Having visited Japan myself in the last 12 months I can tell you these bento boxes are so reasonably priced and great value for money as the quality of the boxes are fantastic as they have the great spongey seals on the edges to prevent any leakages, if you get my drift. nothing worse than leaked strawberry juice in the bottom of your handbag I tell you. (well there are worse things but you know what I mean)

Where do the days go?

I have been a busy beaver updating (finally!) all my listings online over at etsy and madeit! There doesn't seem to be enough hours in the day to keep the items updated properly !! This was one of my new year resolutions to keep everything updated properly as last year I really let the online side of mimoo go , but I am back onto now but I just wish I was a better photographer or at least had a well behaved real life model!!

Another fudge update??

I forgot to mention that my little mimoo is obsessed with her new Hot Fudge dress that she asks to wear it daily and I always say no it is your special party dress but today I thought what the heck, why save special dresses for just special occasions as I think I should approach every day like it is a special occasion?

Much like that quote of using your good china tea cups and silverware for every day use. why not I say?

anywhoo this is little mimoo is her reverse side of the Hot Fudge dress. I cannot decide which is cuter? what do you think?

Who doesnt like fudge?

My eldest brother married over the new year break and above is a shot of my little mimoo is her very exclusive Hot Fudge dress. The photos are not the greatest as I think my camera had decided it was way too hot to work properly as we all almost melted!! It was a lovely family ocassion regardless though.

Robyn is a truly talented seamstress so be sure to check out her link above as the twice as nice bonus is that the dress is reversible, even the buttons and it is just so beautifully made.

Resolution to make resolutions.....

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After my declaration last week of wanting to make new year resolutions I have been struggling to come up with any good/interesting ones!! I always make the usual ones, lose weight, be a better mother, have more patience at little mimoo bedtime (grrrrr), be nicer. send me your link to your blog if you have made any fun ones!

mimoo 2009 a Year in pictures

New year business!

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Happy New Year ! A bit of a belated one but mimoo HQ had a very busy new year period as we were all struck down by foul gastro bug, then my oldest brother chose to marry his lovely long time girlfriend on the new year weekend which was incidently the most humid day ever and one I have only just recovered from(or maybe it was the free flowing champers?)! It was a lovely break all round and I am ready to get into all things mimoo and blogging, plus I have been having a great time reading everyones' new year resolutions, I never usually make any myself but I think this year I will and use them as visualisations. Will share them tomorrow....