A Giveaway for the Mamas!!

Or the really generous Papas/Aunties/Uncles (I really have no idea who reads this blog!).  But really, especially, this giveaway was compiled with mamas and bubbas in mind.  The following hand-selected items are from some of my very favourite ever ever ever stores, items that I have long coveted or newly discovered.  Beauteous, lovely things...

Dude.  I know.  I'll let you just recover from that.  Have a drink of water, catch your breath.

Now, some details and links:

1. Brass Drop Necklace - by Sly Fox (valued at $35 nzd)

2. Organic Cloud Pillow - by Juniper Wilde (valued at $22 usd)

3.  "Whip It Good" Recipe Cards (brand new product!!!) - by iDear (valued at $18 nzd)

4. "Tin Can" Notecard pack (6 cards + env - brand new product!!!) - by iDear (valued at $14 nzd)

5. "Just Beat It" Recipe Cards (brand new product!!!) - by iDear (valued at $18 nzd)

6. Fox Print Minky Baby Blanket - by The Buttercup Boutique (valued at $35 usd)

7. A pair of baby shoes - by Miss Molly Coddle (valued at $20-$25 nzd)

8. Fox Brooch - by Poofy Dove (valued at $12 usd)

9. Woman's Tribal Tee - by elephant + bird (valued at $20 usd)

10. Child's Pug Tee - by elephant + bird (valued at $20 usd)

11. Hot Air Balloon Kit - by Craft Schmaft (valued at $65 usd)

12. Fox Dress - by Wild Things Dresses (valued at $60 usd)

That's like, nearly $400 worth of goodies!  Eeeeeeeep!  So here's the deal:

Entry is open Internationally!!!  Woooooop!!! (well I did promise, didn't I?!).  To enter, you must be a follower of The Golden Adventures, either by Bloglovin' or Google Friend Connect.  Then, just leave a comment below and BAM!  You're entered baby!  For extra entries, share this giveaway on facebook or twitter or instagram or pinterest or the good old-fashioned way - your blog (is that the old-fashioned way?  I feel like maybe 'word of mouth', or 'hand-written letter' might be even more old-fashioned, hmmm).  Please leave a separate comment for each entry...  Entries will close on 7th of June and the winner will be announced on the 8th.  Good luck my friends!!!  Consider this an early birthday present (for one of you only - and technically, not actually from me, but from these kind and generous sellers *wink* though I will accept your eternal thanks and gratitude) from this soon to be Twenty-Ten year old!!  (what whaaat!  Raise the roof!).

Upcoming...

During the Whooping Cough outbreak, things got pretty quiet around here.   We all did our best to isolate our babes and keep the outbreak contained, and I'm happy to say that my kids have remained Whoop-free so far (touching wood as I write).  A consequence of the isolation is that we all felt a little lonesome round here, and I have personally vowed to ensure we do plenty of socialising this coming winter.  I love the down-times, but a good balance of both is ideal for us.

 Autumn activities found at This Cozy Life Blog

So yesterday we had about the busiest Playcentre session I've been to all year.  It was a bit cray, but we did come up with some fun plans to make the upcoming sessions a little more fun.  The first of these was inspired by Rhiannon of Toast and Life, whose themed dinners have me totally smitten.  In our PC meeting, a friend and I managed to convince everyone that regular theme days would be a cool way to make Playcentre more exciting this term.  Next week we are kicking off with an Autumn theme, and we have been gathering ideas since then.  I'm thinking about making Pumpkin Soup for shared lunch, and will dress my kiddos in Autumnal colours, for sure.  I will also read all the children this adorable book (well... not much actual reading to be honest).

Project found at Filth Wizardry

The second thing that came out of our meeting was a bit of a Playcentre makeover, which I'm secretly very excited about.  Our centre is pretty cluttered and run-down, so I think a bit of freshening up would be awesome.  If you don't mind, I will be sharing some of the things we do on this blog, including the collecting of ideas.  

 Painted leaves found at My Owl Barn

Finally, yesterday I made the spontaneous decision to enroll Eleanor in dance classes this term (provided she enjoys the classes, of course).  A number of her little friends are in the class, and the prospect of an upcoming dance recital was more than my cuteness-alert-sensors could cope with.  I'm not too worried that she is a term behind many of the other kids, I think that will just make the dance recital even more cute and hilarious than it's already bound to be.  Now to find a Soccer club for her to join.

Emma Makes... Autumn Purses!

A little while ago, Emma of Emma Makes emailed me to ask if she could give you guys a special discount at her store!  She was sewing some gorgeous new purses, and she wanted you all to have first dibs, and a discount!  Well naturally I said yes to this lovely offer, and today I am able to share with you some pics of her newest products, along with a 20% discount off any of these gorgeous Autumn purses.  These purses were made using mainly vintage fabrics, so they are pretty limited edition (in some cases there is only one of each design).  I am hankering after one of those pleated Orange Velvet purses.  Which is your fave?

If you want to take advantage of Emma's super generous offer, just use the code GOLDEN at check out, any time between now and Queen's Birthday Monday.  And while you're there, check out the amazing wallpaper that Rosa-May designed for her webshop!  I'm super in love with it...

Thaaaaaaank you Emma!!!

The Handmade Series: Mama May i

Firstly, this shop is.so.much.fun!!  

So The Handmade Series is all about sharing some of my favourite designers and crafters, and Mama May i is right at the top of the list.  I've written at length about how much I love wooden toys, the simpler, the better, and Mama May i ticks falls neatly into my favourite-types-of-toys-everrrrr box.  There is too much to love, too much to covet!  The little wooden boats, the Welcome Bees, the most lovely and incredible of all - Rainbow Village Blocks!!   Yeah, tooooootally lovely. 

We were lucky enough to be sent some really sweet games from Mama May i, which has been so much fun.  I've been doing Kindy-at-home with Eleanor for the past month or so, and these games perfectly slot in to our Kindy time.  This Make A Match - Forest Friends game has been a particular hit, and she's actually a bit of a whiz at it.  I adore the animal prints, and the discs are soft and smooth and just lovely to hold.  After a game or two, Eleanor will happily sit and organise all the animals into pairs, and (if I'm lucky) sit and play with them for a time.  So cool when a toy provides several different options for play.  Yup.

We were also sent a Story Starter Kit, which I think will be even more effective as she gets older.  This is something that I was really keen to add to our collection, for lots of different reasons.  We have played a few times, by rolling the dice one at a time and taking turns adding to a story, and it's really fun to see how she stretches her mind to come up with suggestions.  I think it is so important (and hilarious) to encourage and nurture a kid's ability to create stories.  Such a great way to support literacy without actually pushing them to read or write...

I love the way the kit is presented too, in a cute little tin with a pen, notebook, suggestion card and instructions.  Perfect for presents, perfect for kindy or school-at-home.  Kinda just, perfect.  I can imagine this being a perfect travel game too, rolling the dice and creating a story together.  Or seeing who can spot an item first.  Yet again, optiiiiiions!!  'Swhat I'm talking about people!

If you are anything like me, you will fall madly in love with Mama May i and the amaze collection of toys they sell.  And yay for you if you do!  Mama May i is offering $10 off any purchase of $50 or more (excl. shipping) for all of my readers!  Booyah!  Get some Christmas shopping out of the way nice and early!  Just use the coupon code GOLDENADVENTURE at checkout, up until June 16th.

On a side-note, do you have any particular toy philosophies?  Tell me about them! x

Stills

1. Holding hands.
2. Collecting stones.
3. Playing games.
4. Climbing furniture.
5. Tidying mess.
6. Awaiting mama.
7. Asking questions.
8. Pulling trolleys.

This has been our week, on repeat.  And yep, pulling trolley bags has been a fave.

Joining in with Em of The Beetle Shack for Stills - A Weekly Collection.

Memory game from Mama May i, Ball Vintage Jar from Pop Roc Parties, Mothers Day card from iDear, Trolley Bags from Gooie.

Twenty

So, nearing the halfway point for the 52 Portraits project, which means I may actually reach the finish line on this one, woohoo!  It was a spontaneous decision to join in, but I'm glad I did.  Today's portraits for instance, I wouldn't have taken if it weren't for this project and my sudden awareness that I had no portraits to post.  I'm looking forward to collating all the portraits at the end of this, fun!

This week:  Garland is just about the cheekiest wee boy I have come across, don't let that butter-wouldn't-melt expression fool you.  And Eleanor, calmly resorted to book-reading at the best possible moment.  I was juuuuuust about to suggest a game of some kind as a diversion from what was currently goin' on, but she found her own quiet-time activity.  Whew.

Joining in with Jodi of Che and Fidel for 52 Portraits x

Curvy Style Friday

You know, before I started this series, I was still pretty much stuck in a post-having-babies cycle of rotating the same four dresses over and over, with jandals in summer and tights in winter.  It was a conscious decision to start giving more thought to my wardrobe, and to give myself a clothing allowance.  It's a really hard thing to do, when you have little kiddos and a single income, but I'm so glad to have done so.  And I'm grateful that I have an understanding partner, who mostly gets how important it is for me.  Ug, so conscious of how first world I'm sounding right now.  Moooooving on.

Outfit Details:  Feather Bone Carving - Alan Gale (I gave it to Zan for one of our anniversaries), Top - Neiel Vintage on Etsy, Singlet - Glassons, Tights - Blackbird Tees, Jandals - Havaianas.  I also got these new glasses from Zenni Optical - recommended by Angela of Striking Keys.  I don't love these frames as much as my old pair, but really they're pretty much the same.

So I figured that if I'm going to wear tights again this winter, I might as well love them.  These were a splurge, but worth it I think.  I don't often buy clothing of Etsy.  Actually, this is the first time.  But I was really pleased with both items - new favourites.  I have found some great clothing stores on Etsy, so these won't be my last purchases.  I will also be back to Blackbird Tees, I reeeeeally love their designs.

And feel free to laugh at my silly posing.  I usually ham it up, what with my photographer mocking me the entire time anyway... ;-)

On a separate note, a couple of people have asked if I would be interested in adding a linky to these posts.  I'm not that tech-savvy, but I could try and remember how to set one up, if there's any more interest.  I've been joining in each week (belatedly) with Wardrobe Wednesday, but I could definitely be convinced to host a linky here as well. The only thing better than embracing and loving your curves, is convincing your friends to do the same.  And meantime, if you do a Curvy Style post, please leave a comment so I can come and visit! x

May

April was just a bit too crazy in some ways, and I was in no way prepared for how much quieter May would be.  I guess there's always an expectation that life will slow down as the weather cools, but we're in a weird interim at the moment, between the anticipation of a very busy June & July just around the corner, and this super quiet month of May.

This month has been made quieter due to a bunch of lurgy outbreaks in our hood.  Whooping Cough and Strep Throat, of which we are quite keen to avoid both.  So we have been laying low, and nursing our sore throats and sniffles with utmost care (and doctor visits, to be honest).  I have also, very recently (as in yesterday) decided to give up sugar.  Which makes life feel very boring indeed.

I want to say that I am loving the slow pace, and I'm totally living in the moment yada yada yada, but... I'm kinda not, that much.  I think that I am much more of a people person than I realised.  I think that I feel more energized when I have a good balance between social and solitude.  I think, also, my kids might be a little bit the same.  Because boy oh boy.  We've had some times.   

In the meantime, we are spending lots of time at my Ma's house while she's away (actually, we have literally moved in and set up camp), and try to pop down to the beach every day, and I'm trying to find it really exciting to sit on the sand for ages while they play.  And I consider it a huge success if I can convince myself that I'm having as much fun as they are, but if I'm honest, I feel pretty relieved when I know that we're all ready to head home (even though the journey home is always the hardest bit).  I think I need to take up crafting again.  For reals.

Mama's Day Picnic

Mother's Day was simple and sweet this year.  My guy packed a basket full of yummy treats, and we drove around the countryside until we found a spot where we wanted to stop.  The outing involved climbing someone's fence, scrambling down muddy banks, and perching on not-our-land (don't worry, neighbours of my pop, they would never mind) to eat our goodies.  

Afterwards, we climbed down the bank and dipped our toes in the water.  Our One Day dream is to permanently live on a plot of land that has a river running across it.  Both of us had this very privilege as children, and... well... dreams...

Meantime, there are plenty of creeks for us to visit, and beaches to run across, and all the rest of that country-ey goodness.  I really don't want to take this life for granted.  We are lucky, soooooo flippin' lucky, to have all these wide open spaces to explore.  

 Whereas this little guy has never known any different...

Sponsor Feature: Delbrook Quilts - Online Quilt Shop

I'm so pleased to welcome my newest sponsor Delbrook Quilt Shop to The Golden Adventures.  Christine was such a delight to e-chat with, and I love the look of her online store, filled with fabric and kit sets and sewing notions, and a couple of really cool looking classes (including the Quilt In A Day class where you come home with a completed quilt top, whaat whaaaaaat?!!).  Here are some of my faves (spot the Croutons cat!):

Jessie's Bag Kit, Beginners Class, Robyn Pandolph Avocado Dots, Wool Felt Bucket Bag Kit, Home Is Where Your Story Begins Table Runner Kit, Forest Friends Fabric, Cot Quilt Class, The Henley Studio - Mocha fabric, Hollyhock Sewing Kit Kit, Riley Blake - Blue Polka Dot fabric.

I can think of lots of lovelies who would be stoked to receive a craft kit for birthday or Christmas, and I am desperately in need of some of those classes, starting with the Beginners Class.  Eeep!  Imagine learning how to actually quilt properly!!  It would put some of my previous, sad attempts at quilting to shame (but how much fun would that be, for reals!  Hanging out with a bunch of other crafty gals, snacking, chatting and learning how to quilt together).  Maybe next time I'm in the Hawkes Bay, I'll book myself in :-) They also sell patterns, fabric, and notions.  I'm kinda smitten with all those polkadots, in case you didn't notice!

Christine had this to say (cut and pasted from an email, I thought it was too lovely not to share):
"I just love the whole warmth and love that goes into making something for someone else and quilting is perfect for that - large and small projects.  A very family oriented craft I think."

Having gifted the odd (small) quilted project, I totally agree.

Do go and have a look at her lovely online store.  You can also follow her on twitter, pinterest and facebook (the best way to keep up with news, sales and other exciting things).  And she has also begun a blog filled with quilty loveliness, pop by and say hi!