The magic of the Travelling Trunk party

It's like Tupperware, but more fun and for young ladies.

That's how I described the Travelling Trunk party to my yummy mummy mother's group.

After hosting a party, I'd describe it more as a magic show.

Imagine a small townhouse lounge room with ten mums, 11 babies and an explosion of make-up, accessories, homewares and 80s music. Yes, it was bedlam. Yes, there was vomit. Yes, it was crazy fun.

I organised the Travelling Trunk party as something a bit different to break up our weekly chats about babies, sleeping and nappies. 

In whirled Cheri our host and the make-up magician Katie. 

Cheri's previous life was in television and she brings the same energy and showmanship when she greets you with her car trunk, filled with a vintage trunk, filled with goodies.

For the ladies there are bangles, necklaces, summer snoodies, rings, t-shirts, summer hats and one of a kind platforms and sandals made from vintage kimonos. For the home there are cushions, salad bowl and servers, natural mosquito repellant and banksia oil pods. The trunk is like Mary Poppins' magic carpet bag. You think you've discovered it all, but more keeps coming.

My treasure trove of finds

And as a mum of two toddlers, Cheri knows what little things help you feel more like a woman than a mum or make your mum life easier.

To continue making us feel special, Katie opened her bag of tricks. She has worked on many celebrities all over Australia and gave us the same star treatment with a how to look good in five minutes demonstration. One of the yummy mummy's was given a make over and she was on hand to find the colour to match your skin tone.

After a couple of hours, our wallets may have been a little lighter, our arms were laden with goodies but we were glowing from being made special and treating ourselves for an afternoon.

Once again I wished I took more photos, but I was too distracted by the shiny objects to remember.

For other mother's group looking for something different, to be made special or to shop from the comfort of a house, I can not recommend Travelling Trunk more strongly. It's fun, it's no obligation to buy and they bring 80s music.

And for non-mum ladies, don't despair. I'm so impressed I'm thinking of organising a girls night in with my non-mum friends. It's fun, it's no obligation to buy and they bring 80s music.  Enough said really!

The Travelling Truck
E: cheri@travellingtrunk.com
W: https://www.facebook.com/thetravellingtrunkcollection

All Fired Up!

Since every day seems to be about dads, Father's Day should mean they have to change every nappy, attend to every cry and get her down for every nap.

You see, kids are excited when daddy comes home. 'Da' is generally their first word. Dad is the 'fun one'. Dad is head of the household (well not in this house). 

That cynicism aside, Hubby is a pretty good and hands on dad. So we had to celebrate him a little bit for his first Father's Day.

Boy did he get spoilt. I made him a cherry ripe slice, breakfast, he got to open a new date envelope, received a West Coast Eagles  membership and drank coffee from his new mug, created at Fired Up in Joondalup.

1: My attempt at a hand print card (fail) 2: The rich cherry ripe slice (thanks Taste.com.au)
3: Hubby and Mini Me with the spoils.

 

Creating the personalised mug was a brilliant suggestion from one of my Yummy Mummy Group mums.

With a range including plates, coasters, mugs, cookie jars and ornaments, and most around $20 with a $5 per 'painter', Fired Up helps create a great DIY gift with none of the mess or effort.

Given the area is not big and probably holds 20 people, we booked a table, and I suggest it's the same for even small groups on weekends.

At home I had tired to capture Mini Me's hand and foot prints with little reward for all the smudging and hot pink paint that got everywhere. But Fired Up made it easy.

The finished product and Hubby's present wrapped in a brown paper package (one of my favourite things).

The staff are super friendly and helpful. They actually did the print for us, cleaned up any smudges and we just had to decorate the rest. And given they do this a lot, crying bubs is no worry for them and they can calm them down, or still manage to capture the print from a fussy bub.

You then leave your piece with them to 'fire up' and seven days later you can pick up your dishwasher, microwave proof ceramic.

Given it was a week before Fathers Day they were super busy we didn't expect to get our pieces in time, but I think they moved mountains to make sure as many dads had their own personalised hand and foot print mug, plate of piece of art.

I loved the outcome and think my Christmas presents are all sorted this year!

To top it all off, Fired Up makes a good little coffee and has a few snacks on offer as well.

To other Yummy Mummy Groups out there, Fired Up should be on your list of places to meet up to capture those little hands and feet before they start running around.

Fired Up!
29 Winton Road, Joondalup
P: 9300 1811
E: info@firedcafe.com.au
W: www.firedcafe.com.au

Baby boom! Gift ideas

There's been a baby boom in Perth.

I have a list on my phone of 'Preggo due dates' with 13 women on it. That is 13 people I directly know popping out a little human. That doesn't include all the women I've met since with babies.

What my own Mini Me and 13 other babies has taught me is the art of present buying for expectant first, second or fifth time parents.

So I stop reinventing the wheel, here are my never fail gifts (sorry to those about to pop out a bub, you know what you're getting):

Pregnancy gift

Being pregnant can be a dream run or nauseous nightmare for some. For those on the long nine month (but you generally find out with six months left) I put together this little Preggo Pack:

• Bio oil - maybe it's my genetics, but I think it was this oil that saved me from stretch marks
• Chocolates - because they are for any celebration
• Raspberry Leaf Tea - for drinking after 36 weeks to help bring on labour
• Necklace/jewellery/accessory - to remind the mum to be she's still a woman
• Book for dad - really depends on the type of dad. Could be a funny, mushy or with helpful tips, but something to help him connect
• Fruit/veggie to show the baby size - depending on what week you give the present, this will also help dad visualise the little growing bub

Almost new mum / baby shower gift

Aside from the gorgeous clothes and toys, I found these few items the most helpful as a new mum, and hardly anyone brought them for me:

• Nipple cream - a horrible truth about being a new mum is ALL the breast feeding. This cream was the only thing that saved my nipples
• Water bottle - I was surprised how thirsty I was and always needed water on hand
• Packet of muesli bars - I was also surprised at how hungry I was and how hard it was to eat. These are good easy snacks
• Travel pack of baby wipes - aside from nappies I used so many baby wipes. Perfect for almost any emergency
• Pre-bub massage/pedicure - a final chance to relax or pamper those feet she lost sight of months ago

New parents

While flowers, more baby clothes and champagne were all lovely gifts, the best gifts were gifts of food. Anything in the freezer packed full of healthy goodness and easy to reheat were greeted with the most enthusiasm. Yes it doesn't last forever and you can't say 'blah blah brought you that' but it will go a long way to helping a new parents sanity.

These are my little tips. I wonder what other's go to presents are for new parents...

 

No card required - why we love you birthday print

The past two years have been flirty 30s, dirty 30s, murky 30s and hurty 30s. Now even more so with many of my close friends turning the big 3-0.

Trying to keep each gift personal, fresh and new means the ideas are running low.

For Ms Z's milestone birthday she received a '30 sucks' card the day before her birthday. And I was part of the surprise she received at lunch when our fabulous Sydney friend flew in for her special day.

DIY Sharpie mugs ideas

Finally Mr Picnic proposed to my blonde bombshell friend, who shall now be referred to as Mrs Picnic.

Engagements are exciting. They are the start of something shiny and golden, before the potential angst of wedding planning, families and post-honeymoon blues can begin to creep in.

I love giving friends a little something soon after the announcement, and rather than the standard bottle of champagne, this time I created a 'his and hers' mug set (especially since she loves tea).

Personalised his & her mugs made easy with Sharpies