My 10 Point Survival Guide for Mums …

April 30, 2014

  Being a Mumma can be the most rewarding thing any of us ever do but it can also be really hard. As much as we love our kids, it can often feel like “groundhog day” … endless days of relentless routine and days where nothing goes right … you know what I mean! Some days it feels like the world is crashing down around us. There are days when the littlies are sick and want nothing more than to be carried all the time which makes it harder to get much else done. There are days when the hours fly by like they are minutes and days when the house feels like it’s … read more

Apricot Muffins …

April 28, 2014

I love to get organised for school lunches by baking some yummy goodies on the weekend and then popping them in the freezer. I find this takes the pressure off if morning teas are already pre-prepared and it also means I’m not reaching for store bought treats. This recipe is popular in my house … I hope you enjoy it too! Apricot Muffins …   Print Author: Mrs Organised Ingredients … 2 ½ cups (2 x 200g packets) chopped dried apricots 4 ½ cups self-raising flour (I used gluten free) ¾ cup castor sugar 190g butter ¾ cup milk (I used light milk) … read more

Apple Slinky … and Why We Love it …

April 26, 2014

  Are you looking for a way to get your kids to eat their apples? Well, look no further because I found it with an Apple Slinky. I first discovered these many years ago and since then it has proved to be one of the most used devices in my kitchen.   Basically, the Apple Slinky will core, slice and peel an apple with the turn of a handle and in only a few seconds. You can choose whether to leave the skin on or off. A few years ago I managed a local School Tuckshop and I introduced this gadget for the kids … the sale of apples skyrocketed because it was … read more

Blogs I Love to Follow … Not Quite Nigella …

April 24, 2014

  Like a lot of other bloggers, I have created a page where I will compile a list of blogs that I love to follow. I intend to add the names one at a time because, rather than just create a list, I would like to do a whole blog post about each of these wonderful bloggers.   Why? Because these people (mostly ladies) are amazing! They put hours and hours and huge amounts of effort into developing their blogs and into each and every post (as I have now discovered being a “newbie blogger”). They do it for themselves because they enjoy it but more than that, … read more

Jam Drops …

April 22, 2014

Jam Drops are an old favourite in my house! I first remember learning to cook these during Home Economics in High School so here is my version that I’ve been cooking for years. It’s a simple recipe using basic ingredients but it turns out perfectly every time! Jam Drops …   Print Author: Mrs Organised Ingredients … 150g butter, softened ¾ cup castor sugar 1 egg 2 teaspoons vanilla essence/extract 1 teaspoon lemon rind, finely grated (optional) 2 cups self-raising flour (I use gluten-free) Jam Method … Preheat oven to 160C. Using … read more

Bath Towel Buying Guide & Country Road Towels Product Review …

April 20, 2014

  Recently I decluttered and organised our main bathroom … wow, what a difference! I can’t believe how much “stuff” I was able to get rid of! Bathroom cupboards and drawers can accumulate so many things like out-of-date cosmetics and skincare, old hair straighteners and hair dryers, half empty bottles of moisturisers, broken hair bands and so on.   It was also a great opportunity to look at the condition of our towels, hand towels and face washers and, let me tell you, they were looking a little sad. Noticing that Myer had a Manchester sale at the time, … read more

Party Invitations … Spiderman … Free to Download …

April 18, 2014

If you’re looking for a theme or a cute idea for your next birthday party, here’s a Spiderman themed invitation to get you started.   I’m having so much fun creating these great Birthday Invitations as well as all the other Planners, Checklists and Organisers for my lovely readers to download. This week I have available this Spiderman invitation for you to download and print completely free. That’s right, completely free … no cost at all. Just click on the download button below or visit the “Free Downloads” tab on the right-hand side of this page where you … read more

Lamb Shank and Vegetable Soup …

April 16, 2014

I love soup and nothing warms me in winter quite like a delicious, hearty bowl of homemade soup … a little bowl of goodness!! I haven’t had much success with lamb shanks in the past but I was determined not to give up, so I tried again … and boy, I’m glad I did. This recipe produced a richly-flavoured soup with tender, succulent lamb that literally fell off the bone. I served this with thickly sliced Sour Dough Bread (toasted), sprinkled with grated cheddar cheese and a dash of parmesan and then popped under the grill for just a couple of minutes! Yummy, … read more

Easter Egg Bag Toppers … Free to Download …

April 14, 2014

  Yesterday I shared with you the Easter “Bunny Tails” Bag Topper here so today I am sharing a similar version of the same idea but this time using Chocolate Easter Eggs instead of Marshmallows. Exchanging Easter eggs with their friends is something my girls loved to do at school (when they were younger) and this little project is creative and fun. It’s also much cheaper than buying individual eggs for each friend. To complete this little activity, you will need 1 or 2 bags of small, individually wrapped chocolate Easter Eggs. These Bag Toppers have been … read more

Easter “Bunny Tails” Bag Toppers … Free to Download …

April 12, 2014

  When my girls were younger, they loved giving their friends a small bag of chocolate Easter eggs or Marshmallows at Easter time. It was just a small gesture that encouraged them to share and get into the spirit and fun of Easter. So, if you’re looking to do something similar, here’s a simple idea that’s loads of fun and easy to make … Easter “Bunny Tails” Bag Toppers.   I’ve created these cute little Easter “Bunny Tails” Bag Toppers to share with my lovely readers. This isn’t a new idea and there are loads of different designs available to buy on the … read more

Easter Egg/Gift Shopping List … Free to Download …

April 10, 2014

  Easter may be just around the corner but it’s not too late to get organised. If Easter has snuck up on you, download your free copy of my Easter Egg/Gift Shopping List and get back on track. I’ve been using this list for over 15 years as it helps me decide who I need to buy for, what I intend to buy, where and how much it will cost. I’ve “jazzed” it up with a cute little bunny and some colourful Easter Eggs but it’s essentially the same list. It’s a great little tool that helps me stick to my Easter Budget because it allows me to plan and prepare. This is … read more

The Naked Cowboy … New York City …

April 8, 2014

  I ♥ N Y … you will see that message emblazoned on t-shirts everywhere you look and I guarantee that, once you’ve visited, it will steal your heart as well. We’ve been to New York City twice now and, on our first visit with the kids, we encountered the Naked Cowboy, who has become one of New York’s top tourist attractions.   So who is he? The Naked Cowboy (alias Robert John Burck) is a rather colourful street performer who can be found at Times Square. He wears a cowboy hat, cowboy boots and underpants and his only prop is a guitar, which is … read more

How to Organise the Bathroom Drawers (Part 2) …

April 6, 2014

  Last week, my decluttering task was to clean out the top drawer in the main bathroom and I’m pleased to announce “Mission Accomplished”. Doesn’t it feel great to achieve something that’s been on your “To Do List”?   This week I’ve decided to tackle the next two drawers. The top drawer held most of Miss 21’s makeup and skincare and I found the perfect solution at Howards Storage. You can read that story here.   The other two drawers were going to store bulkier items so this is how I tackled organising those:   I removed everything … read more

Lemon and Coconut Bliss Balls …

April 4, 2014

I’m always looking for new and exciting things to add to my daughters’ lunchboxes. These Lemon and Coconut Bliss Balls are a great little healthy snack and you can whip them up in not time at all. These are a particularly great option because they contain no nuts. 5.0 from 1 reviews Lemon and Coconut Bliss Balls …   Print Author: Mrs Organised Ingredients … 1 ½ cups shredded coconut (or substitute desiccated coconut) 3 ½ cups Corn Flakes 1 x 400g can Sweetened Condensed Milk 2 tablespoons lemon zest (from 1 lemon) 3 tablespoons freshly … read more

10 Reasons to Make Your Bed Every Morning …

April 2, 2014

  What’s the first chore or job you complete in the morning? For me, I always make the bed when I get up (unless, of course, hubby is still asleep) and open the curtains. I suppose it’s a habit that I developed from a young age, so here are ten good reasons to make the bed every day:   It’s a simple task. It’s not difficult to make the bed and a smooth, made bed just feels so much nicer and cleaner. Simply pull up and straighten the sheets, blankets and bedspread, plump and tidy the pillows and your done … so simple even the kids can do … read more