Tania McCartney's Riley & the Jumpy Kangaroo - a Journey Around Canberra INSTAGRAM book GIVEAWAY

Greetings all,

Welcome to the first ever Tania McCartney Instagram book GIVEAWAY!! 

The much anticipated & exciting release of a new Riley journey with Ford Street Publishing is another fantastic adventure with my local gal pal author Tania's creative mind & Kieron Pratt's delightful illustrations.  

POSIE REVIEW: Riley the Aviator takes his famous red bi-plane & animal friends on a journey around Canberra, to discover who is making all that thumping raucous & action packed commotion??  Your children will love this cleverly photographed & beautifully illustrated journey all over Canberra, as the Jumpy Kangaroo pings, pongs, bounds, zigs, zags & catapults around  the landmark sites of Australia's capital city.  Will Riley catch up to the Jumpy Roo??  What is she in such a hurry for anyway??  Luckily Jumpy stops long enough to smell the tulips at the magnificent Spring Floriade flower festival 

. . . to find "exactly what she'd been looking for."

 Tania concludes her stories with a heart felt ending & writes about cities she has lived.  They are a mix of street-smart & tourist must-see items for any adventure.  As a fitting tribute, Canberra is celebrating its Centenary in 2013!!

Recent journeys have included A Grumpy Wombat in Melbourne; A Curious Koala in Sydney; A Dancing Lion in Hong Kong: & the original . . . A Sleeping Dragon in Beijing.  Collect them all, my children absolutely adore this series of books.  More information & order details at TaniaMcCartney.com.      

 For your chance to . . .

win a copy of Tania McCartney's 

Riley & the Jumpy Kangaroo 

A Journey Around Canberra

 . . . head over to my Instagram feed Posie Shoots & leave a comment at the 'Tuesday 30th July Riley & the Jumpy Kangaroo post' to enter!!  You will need an Instagram account, please follow Posie Shoots & enter between Tuesday 30th July & midnight Sunday 4th August 2013.

The full Jumpy Roo tour schedule is here, for more reviews, news & chances to win copies of this fabulous book.   

Good luck everyone, thank you Tania for asking me to host, it was such fun, as always - a pleasure working with you!!  Love Posie

Want more Tania McCartney magic in your children's book shelves . . . here's a sneak peek at her next book . . . to be released with Exisle Publishing in the coming months, illustrated by the divine Tina Snerling . . . the perfect gift this Christmas!!

Comments have been closed on this post to ensure you do not place your entry here!!

social commentary Sunday . . . 'knowing when to take a break from blogging'

Greetings all, 

My blogging journey has come to a stop-start-halt lately, i've just lost the passion, enjoyment & time for it.  While i started my blog 6 years ago & blogged regularly during 2010 to 2012 while my husband lived interstate, sharing 'our life' with him . . . i'm finding less & less time to post about craft, lifestyle, animals, baking, children, my husband & our happiness.  

My studio is only working on large commissions, not pretty blog-worthy-craft; i'm spending many more hours in the garden, tending to animals, exercising & preparing healthy meals, less blog-worthy-cakes; the children are growing fast, i am not missing a minute & considering next year we'll have three teenagers - it's incredibly busy with sports, academics & their social engagements, i'm not comfortable posting lots of images of teenagers, especially as they are not allowed their own social media; my husband is here & being a wife takes up a lot of time, i'd prefer his company than reading blogs . . . as for our happiness, we've never been happier, with exciting dreams.  Spending less time on the computer is a good example to our children too.  

I've been using my non-blogging-time making more calls to my elderly parents, catching up with people who bring me joy & soaking in the lucky life i have as a housewife.  I refuse to be 'busy' as it implies i don't have time for the things i love.  I still adore the idea of a blog & the blogging community is lovely; trolls - their loss, i click delete & refuse to engage with them, absolutely not worth a second thought; stalkers - go get a life, especially the ones who know me personally, it's creepy you read my posts (& pretend you don't) yet don't communicate with me directly!!

So it's for positive reasons that i am taking a break from blogging.  I want to offer the world quality or nothing, i won't blog for the sake of blogging.  I'll be hanging around on Instagram, which is so much fun, friendly, engaging & fast . . . i find it like mini-speed-blogging.  While blogging has been a wonderful adventure with 700 posts, 15000 comments & 2000 hits per day, if i was paid to blog - i'd reconsider taking a break, i just can't maintain 'free' work - yes, 'work' . . . i put great consideration/ thought/ ideas/ effort into my posts: an extension of my business & the personality behind it . . . i'm closing down the on line store & no longer attend markets, as i'm starting a new chapter in my creative life.  Stay tuned. 

 I'd love to be invited to blog conferences . . . i have great ideas & lots of inspiration to offer; i'd love to be given freebies & opportunities . . . i do fantastic & thoughtful reviews; i'd love to sit in a particular niche . . . but i don't . . . no babies (our youngest is 9) or live in the cities where the events take place, so i'll hum along doing my own thing.  While i've always been popular & social, i really enjoy my own company & avoid cliques at all costs.  Blogging has changed a lot over the years with awards, sponsorship & obvious circles, a lot is self-congratulatory & below average quality.  It wasn't my end-game to make money from blogging - i started as i had my own home-design-studio business to promote & make money from - i was never 'discovered' (even with 10000 social media followers) & that's Ok.  Maybe, one day??

Just to wrap up a few things, like my last giveaway & ensuring i organise all pervious giveaway winners receive their prizes (apologies for the delay) the lucky people who won the LEGO Hero Factory packs are:

Claire Hewitt of Clairey Hewitt blog,

Sash of Indigo Elephant blog &

Beck from Baby Laila blog.

Congratulations.  Please email me your delivery (street address for courier) for delivery. 

 Thanks everyone - it has truly been a wonderful experience, i appreciate all your comments & connections.  This isn't good bye or farewell, just a see you later for now.  I feel it's really important if you know your blogging journey is stalling, that you take a break.  It might be Christmas time before i blog again, but i will be back, renewed & thoroughly reinspired, love Posie

PS all images are recent snap shots from my Instagram account Posie Shoots with lots of stories & gorgeous engagement, you'll see why i completely adore this social media platform!!

win one of SIX LEGO Friends prize packs GIVEAWAY

 Greetings all,

How much fun are latest offerings from the LEGO Friends range??!!  My four children really enjoy this series - fun girls with friendships, hobbies & personality - including my son, this LEGO is not just for girls!!  They have adventures & ambition which young ladies can relate to.  Meet the girls . . .

Emma’s Karate Class (RRP $15.99) Practice Emma's favorite martial arts and help her to prepare for another fantastic performance. Train hard to win the trophy by chopping the practice block in half! After a great practice, wind down in the tranquil environment with the cute bonsai tree and drink some water. Includes Emma mini-doll figure.

 My children all learn Japanese at school so spotted lots of cool things in this set - like the Samurai accessories & the LEGO bonsai.  

 Mia’s Magic Tricks (RRP $15.99) Mia's practicing hard for the big Heartlake City magic show. Help her to learn tricks with cards, a magic wand, flowers, her bunny and a top hat. Build her stage for the big performance then stun the crowds with a cute performing bunny that disappears into its own magic cabinet. Amaze the crowds when the bunny disappears! Includes Mia mini-doll figure. 

This set is so cute with the bunny & magic tricks were such a part of my childhood - my Grandfather was always pulling something out from behind my ear or playing cards.

 Win 1 of 6 LEGO Friends prize packs, valued at $31.98 each! Each prize pack consists of Emma's Karate Class and Mia's Magic Tricks!!

Leave a comment at this post & make sure you follow this blog for your chance to win!!  Six lucky winners will be randomly drawn after midnight Sunday 3rd March 2013.  Australian residents only.  Extra entries (one per link) of this giveaway on your social media (Blogs, FaceBook, Instagram, Pinterest, Twitter etc!!)  Thank you. 

 Thank you LEGO & One Green Bean for the goodies to test drive in the school holidays, we had a great time.  Good luck everyone, love Posie

PS please contact me if you were a winner of my last round of giveaways in 2012 (announced here) as i have lots of prizes to send off.

Lego Duplo Read & Build GIVEAWAY: WIN 1 of 3 TRIPLE sets!!

Greetings all,

Very excited to show off the new Lego Duplo Read & Build sets - in gorgeous colours, your children can read the story book & build the Lego figures as they go.  I adore Duplo, i may have purchased this Lego brick style long after my last baby turned 4, just because they make me happy.

LEGO® DUPLO® BUSY FARM (RRP: $24.99)

The easy-to-follow illustrations and engaging story line make building fun, while familiar objects will fill your child with an immense sense of pride. Busy Farm is the perfect introduction to LEGO playtime adventures! 

 LEGO® DUPLO® LETS GO! VROOM! (RRP: $24.99)

Reading about the iconic airplane and sports car as you build it, using the easy-to-follow illustrations and engaging story line, will leave your child with a great sense of achievement! Let's Go! Vroom! is the perfect introduction to LEGO creative learning! 

 LEGO® DUPLO® GROW CATERPILLAR GROW (RRP: $24.99)

Watch your child glow with pride while building Caterpillar and his friends using the easy-to- follow illustrations and engaging story line. Grow Caterpillar Grow is the perfect introduction to LEGO building fun!

Completely adorable right??  

The LEGO Group is a privately held, family-owned company based in Billund, Denmark. It was founded in 1932 and today the group is one of the world’s leading manufacturers of play materials for children, employing approximately 9,000 people globally. The LEGO Group is committed to the development of children’s creative and imaginative abilities. LEGO products can be purchased in more than 130 countries. 

I just love how they keep it traditional yet modern.

Win 1 of 3 TRIPLE sets of Lego Duplo Read & Build 

(each winner receives Grow Caterpillar Grow!, Let's Go! Vroom! & Busy Farm, value $74.97) 

. . . just follow this blog & leave a comment at this post.  Extra entries for sharing this giveaway on your FaceBook, Blog, Twitter, Instagram . . . by midnight Sunday 2nd December 2012.

A fantastic stocking filler this Christmas season.  Thank you Lego & One Green Bean.  Good luck!!  Love Posie

PS great time to follow, more giveaways this week including autographed Andy Griffiths book & a double book review from the National Library of Australia!!

Win 1 of 3 Harry Potter xBox 360 Kinect games

Greetings all,

The Harry Potter for xBox 360 Kinect game combines all the things my children enjoy about modern day childhood - Harry Potter, live action, sibling play & computer games.  I love a healthy outdoors lifestyle for my children, however, there are days when a good quality computer game is fantastic fun too . . . something age appropriate, interactive with great graphics.  Who can deny a child leaping around the lounge room living out a Harry Potter experience from the books they so dearly love??   

The official word: 

Based on all eight Harry Potter films, Harry Potter for Kinect allows players to join Harry, Ron and Hermione  as they embark on an unforgettable journey through Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry and beyond.  
Giveaway prizes provided by One Green Bean.  

 My 8 year old son has been test driving this new Harry Potter game, exclusive to xBox 360 Kinect for you . . . here's a little interview with him.  I've NEVER played a computer game since Atari with my brothers in the 80s, not even a mobile phone game!!  Best leave it to the experts, who know how to turn these computer consoles on . . .  

Tell me about this new game!!  "Mum, it's like you ARE the game, because you're in control & one of the Harry Potter characters."   

Who is your favourite character??  "I made my own clone, he mimics my movements."

 "It's really fun.  You get to control what the character or clone does.  They are invisible so you can see what they are seeing."

What is your favourite part of this game??  "The duelling or the qudditch.  There are lots of different elements involved, different spells & activities.  There are bonus games too."

Was it high energy??  "Sort of.  I was sort of puffed out by the end of the game."

Would you recommend this to your friends??  "Yes.  Because it's fun & they can make their own clones too.  I like the multi player.  I played that with my sisters."

Would you like to win 1 of 3 of the new released Harry Potter for Kinect games??  Suitable for an xBox 360 Kinect, value $69.95 each.  
Just follow this blog ('join this site' on the right of this blog please, i can't tell if you follow via RSS) & 
leave a comment at this post, winners will be randomly drawn after midnight Sunday 18th November.  An extra entry per mention on your social media (Blog, Twitter, FaceBook, Instagram etc.)  Good luck, thanks One Green Bean & Warner Brothers, love Posie

PS only one week until the Mem Fox autographed book giveaway is drawn, value $19.95.

Donna Hay Molten Chocolate Chunk Brownie mix & Christmas magazine GIVEAWAY

Greetings all,

Are you ready to lick your lips & whip up some delicious chocolate desserts??  Donna Hay has put her glamour & Oprah approved style into the simple 'packet mix' with a completely decadent Flourless Chocolate Truffle Cake.  Mmmm . . . watch & learn people.

 All you need is 185gm of unsalted butter & 4 eggs. 

 Happy eggs from my sister's chickens.

 Melt, combine, mix & bake, so simple!! 

 We added a buttery chocolate icing, but you could have left the cake naked or with a dusting of icing sugar.  I've had the white Donna hay icing spatular for years, it is foolproof-fantastic!!

 The children watched like vultures, then enjoyed a delicious slither of this stunningly yummy cake!!

 Fruit cancels cake calories right??  This new Truffle cake mix is in stores & supermarkets now, i was sent one to trial.  Thanks Donna!!

 Now it's your turn - want to try the Donna Hay Molten Chocolate Chunk Brownie mix & win a copy of the latest issue of her brilliant magazine - the coveted Christmas issue??!!

 More mmmm . . . crumbled up brownie with gooey chocolate, i made them in Donna's pleated cake wrappers for school recess tomorrow & simple portion control, it's so easy to eat an entire slab of brownie when you slice it up, then some more & another nibble . . . 

 Just follow this blog & leave a comment here.  6 prizes - 2 x Brownie mix + Christmas magazine, 2 x Brownie mix, & 2 x Christmas magazine - let me know which you'd prefer!!  Australian delivery addresses only for the food mixes.  Winners drawn Sunday 18th December at 9p.m. 

Want to increase your chances to win??  Mention this giveaway on your blog, FB, Twitter for an extra entry, or blog about your favourite Donna Hay recipe & products for 5 bonus entries!!
Have you seen her beautiful range for Royal Doulton??  I just ordered some pieces - perfect for entertaining.  Donna has some fantastic offers in her 12 Days of Christmas specials, i just scored a complimentary footed colander, it's gorgeous & such a clever design.  Share the love, good luck, love Posie
EDIT: Not a fan of packet mixes??  These amazing, trust Donna!!  Yes we all love baking from scratch but sometimes all you have is the butter & eggs, you've run out of flour, sugar, chocolate . . . & have an emergency bake sale or craving for something delicious!!

perfecting bad blogging . . . 'giveaway winners, finally' & a new giveaway!!

Greetings all,

How often do you enter a giveaway on a blog & it takes forever for them draw & announce the winners??  I'm pretty good at making you wait, not for the sponsored giveaways, but my own handmade ones!!  So in my week of imperfections, i'm announcing the winners of giveaways from the weekend, last month & um, August, perfecting bad blogging!!  If you hang in there, there is also a new giveaway too, surprise.
The 3 lucky randomly selected winners of the Wii Ready Set Grover game & furry control cover are . . .

 Sarah from Fig Nut Mum blog, Tas from Little Boozle blog, & Kylie from Mealy & i blog.  Congratulations ladies, please email me your full details for courier delivery!!  Thanks Sesame Street, Wii & One Green Bean for sponsoring.

 Competition was fierce for this handmade prize of craft books, Babushka fabric pencil roll, gift tags & Mollie Makes magazine . . . randomly selected was . . . Claire from ClaireyHewitt blog.  Lock your doors Claire, there are threats of magazine robbers!!  

 I'm also lucky enough to win the odd blog giveaway too, like this feast of crafty goodies from Tania of Imagine Lovely blog (she's a sweetheart!!) 

 I thanked Tania personally but don't you think it's nice to share a pretty handmade win with such fine goodies, in blogland too??

 Then the long-time-ago-giveaway where i promised a prize to the most horrible school sewing teacher experience.  It was hard to beat Pamela with this cracker of an entry . . .

"My home economics teacher hated me. Seriously. But with good reason. I was a total nightmare but not in a naughty way, just totally skill-less... I got all the fabric tangled up and caught in the machine, Mrs S to the rescue!! However, while she was patiently unclogging the machine I inadvertantly stepped on the peddle and sewed her finger. Needless to say from then on whenever I needed to help, she would say "step back away from the machine and put your hands in the air". Oh and a few weeks later I cut a small sliver of skin off my finger with an overlocker and bled all over the table causing a classmate to thow up. Mrs S had lots of vomit and blood to clean up. I was banned from the sewing room.  I got an "A" for theory and a "E" for application.
But it doesn't end there... Cooking class with Mrs S... I set fire to a tea towel, causing a whole school evacuation. Then we had our test, mine looked good, smelled awesome. She took a nice big taste and gave me a mark. However the next day she wasn't at school. A week later she was back and I was INDEFINITELY banned from all forms of practicals, as she had been hospitalised with severe food poisioning.  I became a bit of a legend in my own lunch box for all the wrong reasons and the most likely to "starve to death" in the school year book."
Pamela you been judged the winner of a copy of the Handmade Living book which has sewing & cooking projects, good luck - i'm a bit scared, you only live 50km away from me!!

Finally, i did it again, forgot to cancel my standing order with the newsagent who was able to acquire issues of Mollie Makes magazine just for me.  My my husband bought me a subscription so i have ended up with 2 copies of the latest issue.  For your chance to win a copy, just follow this blog & leave a comment here.  Winner drawn Monday 13th November (i promise).  Good luck!!

 Thanks for being such good sports everyone, love Posie

i'm grateful for . . . 'check out what's in my rear view mirror'

Greetings all,

Oh i've been plotting, planning & saving up for the big Christmas gifts for my children.  Seeing we're not religious, i'm not going to lie, Christmas is all about the gifts in this household.  We don't need to stop on Christmas Day to remember what & who to be thankful for - we have a tight family unit who love, forgive, thank, celebrate & care openly about one another every day.  Even more so when my husband is away at war, it's a reality check. 

My husband & i agreed new bikes were in order, so i took the children to get them 'fitted' last week - it was a surprise, just as good as Christmas morning!!  Friday afternoon i picked up the goods.  It was so exciting, you should have seen them race out of school yelling "our bikes, our new bikes". 

 I arrived at the bike shop early to ensure i got the Thule bike rack bolted to the car properly + plenty of time to learn how to strap all the bikes in place.  I took photos of where the bikes were positioned, i am not the first parent to do so!!  

 Yay, buy 4 fancy bikes & haggle to get 4 free helmets, saved over $200.

 I also planned to arrive at school early to get a suitable car space at the end of the row.  I sat there & admired my rear view mirror.  It was that mother-of-the-year feeling, like when you take your children to Disneyland!!

They'll have a small gift to open on Christmas Day but they get to enjoy their bikes now.  They are great children who are not spoilt with material things, they have patience & impulse control.  The joy of riding a bike, it's so healthy & such an adventure, their imaginations will take them much further than the loop around our house.  For most children, riding a bike beyond their mother's view, it's their first taste of real independence & responsibility.  We have a flat, grassy neighbourhood without any thoroughfares, if you're driving here, you live here, it's a great place to learn road safety skills & confidence.  They have been raised on bikes, everyone rides in Darwin, and of course, Canberra!!  This round of bikes will last them into their teens, a fantastic investment.
What are you Grateful for this Saturday,??  Ask Maxabella Loves.  Love Posie
PS Wii Ready Set Grover giveaway ends tomorrow, get active folks!! 

things i'm loving . . . 'finding fun'

Greetings all,
Can you believe my husband has been in Afghanistan for a month already??!!  I'm finding plenty of fun ways to keep busy, happy, distracted & positive . . . i do have tears as well, i'm not made of stone, i'm just very well practised in this routine of solo parenting 4 children while my husband is away at war.  Thanks for your support bloggers!!  One amazing blogger Cherry Red Quilter has gathered her troup of seamstresses to sew laundry bags for our troops, thanks Jan-Maree, you're a doll!!

I have always found sewing projects = avoid boredom.  A young lady ordered a lllloooonnnngggg pencil roll in Babushka fabrics from the last Handmade Market.  I delivered!!  

 Like the pencil & texta combination to fill the 16 pockets??

 First week of term 4, my primary school children have a new 'focus of inquiry' . . . 'outer space'.  This is not my forte & i wish my i-can-navigate-by-the-stars husband was around.  He might also ace camping, but i totally nailed glamping!!  Anyway, i can make some fun bunting & hand flags for Team Gravity.  I'm the teacher's pet-parent!!  

 How much fun are giveaways & swaps in blogland??!!  I am in an international swap with NZ Green Buttons blog, who sent this parcel of kiwi goodness.  Thanks Louana!!  Check out the play NZ money, maps, badges, stationery, chocolates . . .

 meanwhile i'm busy at the post office, this is my 4th parcel to handsome soldier.  This random box includes a diary, wind up kangaroo, moisturiser, soft-thick-luxurious-daddy-toilet-paper, a little softie & some meusli bars. 

 Finally, still losing myself in the Dottie Angel book, she's a fellow Babushka fan.  I've added more Russian Nesting Doll goodness to my collection this week too.

I hope you enjoyed the little tour around my head this week, Things I'm Loving is finding fun in my world.  Those who know me will be shocked i'm reading so much, it's the sunshine & my new slow down attitude. 
Don't forget my latest giveaway, it includes a Babushka fabric pencil roll.  Follow my blog now as i have new giveaways coming up with Sesame Street Wii games & hello . . . Donna Hay products!!  Stay tuned. 
Special shout out to Julie-Ann who featured me on her Decorating Forum all week, thank you, 'twas fun & welcome new readers - i believe i've taught you a some tricks from day beds to glamping.  Love Posie
PS PaisleyJade hosts things i'm loving each Friday, go check out her last few posts, she is one amazingly dedicated, cool mummy of 4, you should see what she made for her son's birthday (crocheted gift, layer cake & party games!!)