Lego

(Via MyModernMet)

Santa’s Photo Booth

How much fun is this for an idea?

(You can find the original post here, together with a link to the props used)

You can also get these downloads from Etsy

Definitely a fun morning for the school holidays!

Tell me about yourself award

Wow, thanks to the amazing and gorgeous Cupcake Mummy we, hmmm, that’s me and my blog, were awarded this blog award today. Yay, we love awards.

To be honest, I have actually been wanting to do a post on ‘who this mommy blogger is’. I’ve been thinking lately about how I’ve come to feel like I know so many of the bloggers whose stories I read daily or weekly, I’ve read stories of their husbands relieving their dogs with tears running down my face laughing so much, I’ve been made to think it might be time to start potty training my monkey, I’ve been inspired to start running, and loved hearing how other moms raise their kids creatively amongst so many other beautiful blogs I love.

Every day I’m inspired, supported and in awe of so many of these moms. In fact – in some of my most trying times, it was the mommy bloggers that gave me some of the most encouraging support. I feel I sometimes know so many of these mommy’s inside out, but I also want to more about… more of the nitty gritty… so here I go with some of my nitty gritty. I’d love for readers of Colour Giggles who blog to do the same and let us know more of their nitty gritty…

My name: Jude Foulston – well, it’s Judith on my birth certicate, but only my parents really call me that still.

Where I grew up: Kenton-on-Sea, Eastern Cape, South Africa – one of the pretties places in the world. A tiny seaside village. When I say tiny, I mean there were 57 of us in our primary school. There weren’t enough girls for a hockey team, there were 7 of us in my class, and it was the best childhood ever.

Where I’ve lived: Kenton, Grahamstown, London, Sydney, Johannesburg and now Kloof (Durban), South Africa.

Married: Yes, in June 2009 to the craziest, funniest, loveable man who I met through a blind date, well, kind of through a blind date – we hooked up before the blind date though – longish story.

What scares me: Meeting people, yup, I’m sooo shy when you first meet me; not always being here for my daughter; spiders and snakes; crime.

Greatest moment: Becoming a mom and the day we got married.

What I hate: Fake people, people who don’t say thank you,  people who waste my time, and people who think they are above others.

Pet peeve: People who drive with their kids not buckled up; and of course people who harm kids.. I just don’t understand it.

Things I love: Hearing my monkey laugh with her Dad, African Sunrises, bright colours, road trips, sharing a glass of wine with my girlfriends, anything handmade, my home, birthdays, gerbera’s, surprises, the smell of fresh bread, being a mom.

Studied: Diocesan School for Girls and Rhodes University – both Grahamstown

Craziest things I’ve done: Sky diving, bungy jumping and a weekend in Amsterdam

Musical Instruments: Used to play the Saxophone

Favourite Colour: Yellow

Things I’d still like to do: Go to New York, go snowboarding again, take my kids to Disneyland, be closer to God, have thousands of hits to my blog every day!

Jobs I’ve had: Riding a bicycle ice cream cart around a tea garden near Windsor (UK), Au Pair, Barmaid – all on a gap year in the UK after school. Software developer for JPMorgan, London. Software Tester in Australia. Worked for Starlight Children’s Foundation in Sydney. Marketing Manager for Reach For A Dream and now I’m just the nice person at TomorrowToday.

Fondest memories from growing up: Fishing with my Dad, riding my go-kart and BMX, going barefoot to school, playing lego, watching the A-Team, building forts, spending Saturday afternoons at the Tennis Club, body surfing waves, mudpies.

What I miss most from my pre-mom days: Spontanious drinks after work with my girl friends. In fact, I’d say all things spontanious! Hmmm, and Sunday afternoon naps.

Chocolate or Vanilla – Chocolate, no debate.

Hobbies: Crafting, Reading, crafting

So go on, if you’re reading this then I hereby award you with the ‘Tell me about yourself Award”… can’t wait to hear more about you!

Oh I do love Balloons

Starting off with this birthday balloon wreath to put on your front door when ever a family member is celebrating their special day. See how they’ve made it and how it looks on a door over at Landee See Landee Do

And then, just because we’re talking balloons, how cute is this balloon tree from So Cute Party…

And then if perhaps one of your girl friends is away for her birthday, or across the world and you’re missing being able to celebrate in style with the girls, why not send her a bunch of balloons, each with a special message from her friends that she can blow up on her special day. Love this idea from A Subtle Revelry

Such a simple idea from Martha Stewart using balloons to decorate – all they’ve done here is use double sided tape to create the number on a well with balloons.. I like…

I’ve blogged about this before, but I do love the idea of a balloon fairy visiting the night before the birthday. Can only imagine what it feels like to wake up in a room filled with balloons. (Saw this one from The House of Smiths)

 

 

Gift wrapping ideas

I think gift wrapping is as much of an art as selecting the perfect gift for someone. When someone takes the time and effort to beautifully wrap a gift, I think the value of that gift goes up ten times instantly, just because of the extra love that goes into the wrapping. That said, if you’re like me, it’s always good in theory and it’s wonderful to ooh and aagh at other peoples beautifully wrapped gifts, but I always wake up too late (like 5 minutes before walking out the door to wrap the gift) to get the wrapping part right… here are a few ideas I found that are nice and simple that I’m going to try out on a few gifts for kiddies coming up. Let me know what you think?

(Image Source: Older and Wisor)

(image from Older and Wisor)

Love this idea from Tip Junkie

And lastly…

Wrapping ideas from Babble

And lastly – next time you either need to wrap a gift card, or you need a ‘birthday card’ for a littlely, balloons (like this one) are always such a winner I think!

Is it too early?

For this kind of post? I just don’t know, but I’m getting kind of excited for Christmas and couldn’t stop myself posting these Christmas cards available here.

Tra la la la – bear with me this week, the blog is getting a mini make-over and so taking up some of my blogging time…

Teacher Gifts

My mom was a teacher, my sister is a pre-primary teacher, and quite honestly, I don’t know how they do it.. Honestly, I can spend  10 minutes in her class and I’m exhausted, like, have to go home and take a nap exhausted. But day in and day out she teaches these little monkeys, she loves them, guides them, she helps mould these little people into the people they are.

Teachers, I think you are all amazing and I think you don’t get nearly as much recognition as you deserve. Thank you for investing so much into the little ones that are growing into our worlds next leaders!

For the mamma’s who are looking for some gifts as the end of our school year fast approaches, here are some ideas. I do personally think a heart felt thank you note from both the parent and kid would be number 1, but then again, I’m sure gifts never go unappreciated – especially considering what the teachers do for the kids throughout the year..

Here’s one of my favourite ideas for a teachers gift… I just think they look sooo pretty! (I saw this over at Skip To My Lou where you can see how they did this.)

You can find the tutorial and free templates over at Design Mom

Or here’s a different take (from Givers Log) on the same idea, but rather using your child’s own artwork. Love it.

I also like this idea for revamping a note book – check out Little Birdie Secrets for how they did it

I saw a quote the other day that I thought pretty much sums teachers up

Or here’s a simple idea – just download the free printable here from eighteen25 and put it on a clipboard for them to hang in their classroom (or frame it if you want)

Or… use these free, editable downloads that you can use to accompany a pot plant for the special teacher.

“Teachers – not doing it for the income, doing it for the outcome