Keeping in touch - Part 2

And the New Fashioned...

So first up there's the new 'phone' - skype. For those of us already living away from home we know how great it is. We can see our families and friends for FREE yes FREE anytime we like, or anytime we can agree to be online together! You'll need a computer, a microphone and a camera - at both ends. Just download the software and voila instant communication.

Skype also offer cheap phone rates, so you can call regular phones from your computer. Not to mention if your account is set up in your home country you can take advantage of the rates for that country...  You can also arrange to get a skype number so your friends and family can call your number and only pay local rates.  So do some reading on the skype website and check it out and find the right options for you.

There are other options too, for example if you have a mac, you can use iChat which offers voice, video and text options - again for Free.

Moving along, there's text messages. The instant way to send a short message - you can do this from your cell/mobile phone or skype. Nothing much to say here, 160 characters or less great for short news, happy birthdays or to say I'm waiting down the back of the cafe when you get here.

Then there are instant messages - only instant if there's someone online on the other end. Again you can use skype or msn or google chat (and a million other things). It makes it a personal chat room really. No voice or video, just text. 

Email is an obvious means and you can set up free accounts on a number of websites, like hotmail, gmail, or yahoo.  You may also have received an email address with your internet package if you have one. I prefer an email address that wont change when we leave that provider, but it is entirely up to you.  This is a way you can make sure your message is read by the person you'd like to see it, rather than expecting them to go to and find your info.

Next there is the contentious issue of Social Networking websites.  I'll say upfront that social networking websites aren't everyone's cup of tea and should be approached with caution. But I personally see no harm in using them to keep in contact with people. Facebook is a good and very popular example. Chances are many people you know are on it, they have millions of users world wide. And its free. Here you can send emails within the system, short messages to a public wall of your friend(s), and even add photos and videos. You can share your photos with people who aren't on facebook too by emailing them a link to the album.

I find, that a great use for facebook is actually accessing fan pages, and no it's not what you think. I'm a fan of Babyology, Coochicoos, Kid Style File and Baby Steals to name but a few. Each one updates regularly the posts they've added to their blog or store. It works for me because it's not email junk filling up the in-box. I can see within a few moments whether I actually want to read on. It's a sort of go and get it type of information source.

You can send e-cards. An e-card is a card just like a card you might send for a special event, a thank you or congratulations. These are a great option where you'd like to send something to say I'm thinking about you without the hassle of going to the store to buy one, or to the post office to mail it. The options for e-cards is almost endless. Probably the most recognisable name is Hallmark, though I must say there is a fee for sending some of these, though there are free ones on the site as well.  Try googling 'free e-cards' and see how many options you have.

There's twitter for the ultra tech approach. I think this requires just a little bit much work for me, but it works for millions. Just like facebook you can, in 140 characters or less, let people know how you feel, what you're doing or anything you like.  Similarly you can see the same of friends who also have twitter accounts. Or if you're so inclined you can check up on celebrities or companies with twitter accounts. Oprah Winfrey, Martha Stewart, Ashton Kutcher, The White House, CNN and Australia's Rove McManus all have twitter accounts. It's free and again its a go and get it sort of information source.

A great utility of the Twitter website is it's ability to track popular topics - currently 'Haiti' is the most tweeted about topic, so if you want to (without commitment to an account) you can see what regular people are saying about the event. It is interesting to see the activity change whilst such an event is occurring - eye witness accounts and immediate reactions all without leaving your desk.

Another utility of Twitter is watching stores and blogs and their activities. Of course this extends to theatres and ticketing agents and multiple other providers of just about anything too. Check the many ways QPAC (Queensland Performing Arts Centre) is reaching out to its consumers (Facebook, Twitter, YouTube and Flickr).

Then there is a blog or a website... like this one. It's hosted for free by Blogger. You can write your own material and either hide it from public view or share only with the people you want to see it, or share your thoughts with the world. I am finding that it's a great way to get me thinking about something other than grocery shopping or Olive's many needs.

There are many other sites too, a friend has recently embarked on a three month break where she is volunteering at an orphanage in South Africa. I'm reading about her adventures on getjealous.com. This site is designed to be an online travel journal with photos, videos, diary entries, blogs....... There's also wordpress.com, livejournal.com and many more. There is a huge list on this website Mashable.

Well, that might be enough for now, Part 3 will be about photo and video sharing.


xo S

Australian Sale Website & Newsletter

Found a new one!

Kids Confidential and a sister site for grown ups.  Subcribe to the weekly email and you'll be 'in-the-know'... with online savings up to 70% off retail prices, It's free and you'll receive email with the coolest kidstuff and hottest maternity sales discounts, special offers and shopping events.  They claim to be a VIP Guide to bargain hunting - so enjoy!

The site for grown ups - is Missy Confidential and tells a similar story for being in the know for sales.

Best of all both sites break it into Sydney Sales, Melbourne Sales, National Sales and Online sales. So there's something there for everyone.

Happy bargain hunting (but remember its not a bargain if you don't need it!)

xo S

Keeping in touch - Part 1

There are so many ways now to keep in touch with family and friends at home.  I thought I'd share some ideas about how to do it easily and a bit differently, so that your family and your friends can see what you're up to, what the kids are up to and what it really looks like when there are 18 inches of snow around.

Here are just a few ideas...

There's the old Fashioned...

Postcards, letters and the phone (I'm young enough to believe the phone is old school).
This can be fun, postcards from the places you visit are fun for people to receive especially if you travel somewhere super cool like New York, London or Paris.

You could also create custom postcards to send on photo gift websites like Snapfish - in the US you can do this for as low as $0.75 each.

Regular sized photos make great postcards too - you can buy appropriately sized stickers to place on the back to turn your regular print into a post card. Somewhere like The 2 Buds buy the sticker, put on the back of your photo, write, add a stamp and you're done. I've also seen the stickers in photo stores. You could also print your own sticker too - Avery have a few options and templates on their site.

Here's a thought for those of us with kids we could have our Picasso paint or draw their own art, scan it into the computer print onto postcard sized card and mail that to family back home. Doesn't come much more personlaised than that does it?

Letters are a great way of sending (non urgent) info home. It can also be quite cathartic I think to write rather than using more modern means. I think too it can be great fun to write on beautiful stationary or note cards. It feels a little special and a little decadent, especially if you go for some personalised stationary, like this note card (left) from Tiny Prints. Everything from Thank you cards, to Address labels and note cards...

In the USA there is also Shutterfly, Snapfish, The Stationary Studio, Zazzle, Vista Print, and  even this store on Etsy offer options for personalised stationary. Also, American Stationary, Fine Stationary and Crane & Co. to name just a few!

In Australia there are just as many options, though in my opinion it can be a little more expensive to go personalised. Shutterfly ship internationally, Snapfish have an Australian online store, then there's this beautiful collection from Lily and Cino which I found on an Aussie blog called 'A Natural Thread'. More about that later!  Big W have some surprisingly good prices and options in their photo store, though not quite stationary as such.
Kikki-K have some lovely things (not personalised), Note Couture is divine and I also found Personality Stationary not so polished but an option none the less.

Then there's the phone, enough said? Not quite, but that crosses into New Fashioned - tune into Part 2 when you've got yourself a nice cup of tea and a few moments.

xo S

Ding Dong!

Part of our Christmas break involved having two teenagers share our home for 3 weeks. Yep, a toddler, 2 teens and four adults in a two bedroom apartment and then in a minivan. So I guess finding this doorbell on the Droolicious Blog is quite timely!

I think I'll buy two and send them back to Australia... Think my sisters would love their own door bell. I don't know how Dad will feel about it though!

I think I'd have loved having a doorbell as a teenager... I guess I am way past that now! 

There are Princess, Butterfly and Crazy Monkey buzzer doorbells too, so it seems there's a doorbell for every taste.

Available at Peanut Gallery for $13.99 or even cheaper on Amazon.

Happy Shopping!

xo S

via Droolicious

A day for online sales and indoor crafts.

Apparently all I am finding lately is sales for kids things.  Here is a great one, and a new website I plan to watch!  This came via KidStyleFile, if you haven't checked out their newsletter, Facebook page and you have children, or are expecting a child then you absolutely should. In their words its "daily bargains, news and inspiration"... so today the announcement was the introduction of Trunk Show Kids samples, seconds and end of season sales. I'm in love.  If only I needed the Elizabeth Storksak bag, it's half price and surprisingly it is actually cheaper in Australia than it is in America.

It's raining in DC again so as a mini project today Olive and I will be making some play doh to play with. I'm not sure if she is too little but I figure it can't hurt right?

Here is a recipe I found on an Australian Website called Best Recipes which I think I may spend some time looking at a little later on. The recipe keeps in the fridge for months, has tons of reviews and almost all rated 4 or 5 out of 5 stars. Oh and even for me all the things I need are in the cupboard.

Failing that I have some soy crayons and tons of paper for her to draw with!  The soy crayons are something I've written about before here - Clementine Art Products. They have all natural soy crayons, and soy crayon rocks for little hands as well as modeling dough, paint, glue and markers.

We'll see how I go I guess!

xo S

Fantastic Australian Design Site...

It seems I am on a roll today...

The Babyccino kids daily email had a little Aussie Special today featuring Invisible Zinc and a new Australian Website called - Australian Design Store. Launched in Europe with some of my favourite brands including Oobi Baby and Rock Your Baby and the best news is that they ship to the US.

Oh, and Invisible Zinc now ship worldwide from Australia too. So now we can find great sun protection for grown ups and kids. The kids product is a roll on too which will make slopping on that sunscreen a whole lot easier when summer eventually rolls around. 

Yippee!

Pajama Squid THREE Prize GUEST GIVEAWAY!!!!

So my second entry today is purely selfish. If I tell you about one of my favourite blogs, I get an entry into a competition to win a cool childrens toy.

So here it is... Pajama Squid THREE Prize GUEST GIVEAWAY!!!!

Actually I love the Pajama Squid so even if I don't win a prize for blogging this you should definitely check it out. 

Why do I love The Pajama Squid? Well, there are a few reasons. Tiffany writes a fabulously witty blog called "Sincerely Squid". There is a a fabulous store both online and in DC. Sadly for me, I have failed to visit the store in person, and failed again to buy anything - little Olive always seems to have too much so I just can't bring myself to buy more toys however cute, oh and the cute clothes I have no excuses why I haven't bought any of those yet. I think when story time starts up again over the summer Olive and I will definitely be trotting over to Takoma Park.

There's the other thing The Pajama Squid does oh so well, books. Such a great range of story books. There are three great book reviews on the store website too.
Oh, and if you're on facebook there is a fan page which will alert you to the fab sales. Actually there is a sale on now. Spit spot, I suggest you pop over and take a look.

So there's why.  Go and visit The Pajama Squid

Happy New Year! And Happy Sale Shopping to you!

Hi there,

So I am a little delayed with the new year wishes but I have an excuse. I promise.

I had a milestone birthday. Oh, and yes we traveled by minibus to Savannah and Charleston.
We hired a mini bus and piled the visiting family into a minibus and drove all day to Savannah stayed a few lovely (yet unseasonably cold) days there before piling back into the minivan and heading to Charleston.


So there are some great sales online both in Australia and in the US... here are some I've had a little look-see at.

In Australia:
First up - SHOPHOUSE, which has become a bit of a favourite for me. We bought Olive's birthday outfit from there - Oobi Baby and Baby Bloch oh-so-cute. They sent an alert for a sale for items which I think I must buy for Olive for Summer. Oooh so cute.
Or I could buy it from Little Styles...

Where did you get that? are having a sale too.
Babies Galore in Sydney are having a Massive Million Dollar Clearance (online and in store).
And I read an article on KidStyleFile with some recommended reading and I must agree, so read about it here and follow the link to Fishpond.com.au to buy your discounted copies of the famed series of books by Czech author and illustrator Miroslav Sasek - This is Australia/Paris/New York and others!

In America:
There's The Pajama Squid very cute and interesting toys, clothes and shoes. Online and in store, the store is located in Takoma Park near DC.
Nordstrom, Cusp, Victoria's Secret and Ralph Lauren have all sent emails this week advising of their sales... Hooray for sales!

(The image of Sydney ringing in the New Year is from the Sydney Morning Herald).