Christmas Wish List

I was tagged by Vesna from My little jedi to share my Christmas Wish list... well I have finally done it, better late then never. I do kind of want everything, so limiting myself to 5 is tricky. But, here are some of the things I would like to find in my stocking (I promise I've been good Santa):

1. Dong Yellow Stool from Domayne - great as a bed side table, 2 please!
2. Dalmar Pasta Plate, Country Road - but really I want the whole set, and pretty much everything else in Country Road
3. Marc Jacobs 'Bamboo Leather Crossbody Bag' - I could also make do with a Mimco turnlock zip top bag (Now that I don't have to carry a nappy bag with stuff for two babies around everywhere)
4. Kate Spade Hinge Bracelet - I would also love everything else from Kate Spade. All of it, thanks.
5. Geranium Leaf Body Balm - My partner bought back an Aesop pack to try and make it up to me after going on an 11 day golf trip. It took me 2 weeks to catch up on missed sleep, but the beautiful products did make me feel like I had just been to a day spa. I need more

I think I may have left this too late, but would love to see what are the top 5 items on my design-y friends wish lists. I pass this onto:
Louisa - Notable Imprint
Tamara - La Petite Studio
Bec - Motif Creative Design
Sarah - Crackers Art
Amber - Sprowt Graphic Design

1st Birthday Planning

My little man is not yet 8 months, but I'm already thinking about his first birthday. I want to do something cool, funky and original - just like him.

I was trying to tidy up my millions of reference pieces I have saved on my computer and came across these two little jem's. I can't remember where I found it, but I think I'm going to use this as a basis for the theme. I'm thinking moustaches on sticks, tie cookies and Aniken wearing suspenders and a bow tie... cute...


And, here's a pic of my gorgeous Aniken from the weekend. They really do grow too fast

Activites for commando babies

My little man Aniken is a commando crawler, and has been for the past 2 months. Tonight he took his first few 'up on hands and knees' crawl which was extremely exciting. Yesterday curiosity got the better of him and he figured out how to pull himself up on our furniture and spent today exploring all the items we have previously placed out of his reach. Trying to keep up (or get away) from his 2 year old sister Ruby, Aniken has always been quick to pick up new things and is yet to turn 7 months. I love this great idea I found through Childhood 101, and there are heaps of other shared ideas to keep your little ones busy. Noey sounds just like my Aniken and I love this activity:

Noey is a commando crawler. He sometimes cross patterns when he commando crawls but sometimes he is all arms and no legs as he slithers across the floor. He’s not the least bit interested in crawling on his hands and knees in the traditional way. The only time he gets on his hands and knees is when he is about to pull himself up on something. At the moment he is pulling up on everything and even attempting to stand on his own, which is fun and exciting, but I really want him to crawl, properly, before he decides to walk.

So this morning, while Noey was sleeping, Morgan and I made him a little surprise.

We removed the label form a 1.25 litre PET bottle, rinsed it out then filled it with a little water. We hunted through the craft cupboard to find various brightly coloured sparkly things that would fit into the bottle. We just happened to have a huge collected of sparkly pony beads, some other coloured beads, some large sequins and a few foam shapes, a good variety of things that would float and sink. Then with glued the lid on tight and waited for Noey to wake up.

Ok, so rolling the sparkly bottle around the floor and having Noey chase didn’t exactly get him to crawl on his hands and knees the whole time, and considering how fast he can commando crawl it probably never will. But it was lots of fun to make and both boys had lots of fun chasing it around the floor and shaking it up. So the two minutes it took to make it was time well spent.

Aniken tires so quickly of the dozens of expensive toys I surround him with so that I can try and get a little work done. I have a feeling this will keep him entertained for hours. I know what we will be doing tomorrow! Here's a quick dodgy iphone pic of my gorgeous boy talking to his best friend the News Man, and I'll have to make sure I post some pics of him playing with his new Sparkle Bottle tomorrow!

To celebrate 1 year of Ruby Ruby Designs, during the month of May I am offering one lucky duck the chance to win a Custom Logo Design. Entering is easy peasy:
1. Like my Facebook Page - Ruby Ruby Designs
2. Tell me which of my Logo Designs is your fav, using my Contact Tab or email info@rubyrubydesigns.com.au
3. For a bonus entry, subscribe to my Newsletter

Know someone who would like to know about this? Please help me spread the love. Good Luck!

T+C's
1. You must be a liker of Ruby Ruby Designs Facebook page to be eligible to win
2. Competition commences Tuesday 2nd May 2011. Entries Close Midnight (AEST) Tuesday 31st of May 2011 and drawn at 12pm Wednesday 1st June 2011 at the Ruby Ruby Designs Studio
3. Random selection will be done using the following Random Number Generator www.random.org
4. Entrants will be listed in no specific order on a spreadsheet, individually numbered according to the row their name appears in
5. The random number generator will determine which row the person will be eligible for the prize
6. Winner will be notified by email.
7. If no response within a week, the prize will be redrawn
8. Ruby Ruby Designs will not enter into a dispute of an entry
9. The prize is not transferable for money, although can be swapped for services of the same value
Logo design will commence End June 2011 and includes 2 concepts and 2 revisions (value of $280)
10. All entrants must be over 18
11. This promotion is in no way sponsored, endorsed or administrated by, or associated with, Facebook
12. You are providing your information to Ruby Ruby Designs and not to Facebook. The information you provide will only be used for notifying the promotion winner (unless you have opted to join Ruby Ruby Designs Newsletter)

Don't forget the little things

Throughout both my pregnancies and as my babies grow I've tried to write down every little thing they do, so I will never forget. I'm also planning to give them these books when they are older so maybe they can pass them onto their kids. I'm finding my entries few and far between lately, which is why I love this blog by Childhood 101 about Keeping Track of Little Memories

Aniken is nearly 4 months and I can't believe how quickly Ruby is turning into a little girl lately. We love watching our gorgeous boy as he discovers the world and delight in every word that comes out of Ruby's mouth (except for the occasional one that rhymes with buck - I don't know where she picked that up from). I think the idea of writing a sentence a day is a great way to remember those little things that may otherwise be forgotten in the day to day, but I doubt I would be able to limit myself to one... now all I need to do is record the last 2 months of jumbled notes into my babies journals.

Li'l Magoolie

Everyday I get a daily does of Li'l Magoolie, and think anyone with little one's should too!

Today had a number of super finds, that I had to share:

• Don't you just love little things - I certainly do. These treasures are from The Little Red Door
• Childhood 101 is another great blog with resources for parents. I'm always looking for fresh ideas for things to do with Ruby and I'm sure this will become a daily read for me
• Another great site for kids craft, First Palette. This free circus tent template is great. I do love free things.

Can't wait to see the goodies that Li'l Magoolie has in store for tomorrow!

Free Valentine's Day printables

My New Years Resolution was to blog more, on a weekly basis at least... this is yet to happen, until now. Since I last blogged a lot has happened, non more important the birth of our little man Aniken... but until I get myself organised enough to write I'd love to share a recent find...

Last week I stumbled upon free pretty things for you recently. I love the gorgeous vintage pics, and her most recent offering is darling - Valentines Day cup wraps, cute cute cute... you can download it for free from Kate Landers Events (another fav).