Photo shoot sneak peek

I just had to share a little sneak peek at the first of some gorgeous photos of Giggleberry bunting taken by the amazing Tea & Jam Photography.


I'm in love with these photos and can't wait to share more with you... stay tuned!

I won, I won!


Thanks to Sally over at the fun Polka Dot Birthday blog for her giveaway of 3 (yes, 3) gorgeous paper lanterns available through Polka Dot Market. These lanterns are so groovy and such a fun way to add a splash of colour to a party!


I have chosen 3 of the lime green lanterns as they will match just right to my daughters lime green and purple bedroom - Yay!
I can't wait to receive these lanterns in the mail... and am heading straight over to the Polka Dot Birthday blog to enter the latest giveaway!

'The Great String of Bunting' - Part 3 (final installment)

Hooray!! I have just opened my emails to find one from the gorgeous Lauren of Belle Laide Events. Lauren is the person I worked with to make 'The Great String of Bunting' - 60 metres of bunting in soft yellows, blues and a touch of red. You can take a look HERE for Part 1 of the creation process and HERE for Part 2.
The beach side family event that the 60 metres was needed for was held last Sunday. Lauren tells me (even in the stinking hot weather) the day was a great success and that the bunting "looked gorgeous" - Yay!
Lauren was also very lovely to attach some pics that were snapped at the event of 'The Great String of Bunting' in use.





Thanks so much, Lauren, for letting me be a part of your event!!

Christmas Shopping? May I suggest....

This is the second post in my 'mini series' of 'Christmas Shopping? May I suggest...' gift shopping suggestions. I have been busily buying gifts all year and when I tell people that many respond with "Wow - I haven't even started mine" so here are some of my purchases (that I am totally in love with and can't wait for the person they are intended for to rip open on Christmas day) - maybe some inspiration for you??

After my parents showed up on the weekend with Milla's kitchen I couldn't believe my luck, only a few months ago I had bought some absolutely gorgeous felt foods from the very, very talented Samantha of Sam McLean Designs, and now these adorable play foods have the perfect home!!
I LOVE the idea of play food for kids and as soon as I saw Sam's items I just had to get my hands on some. So after browsing through her Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner, Fruit & Veg and even Treats selections I decided on these:


Ice cream cone with 3 flavors


Toddlers who lunch - play set


and this custom ordered Roast Dinner. I think this one is my favorite for the simple reason that even the drumsticks Velcro on and off - How cool is that?!?
Sam's attention to detail is amazing! All the foods look just like the real thing and spark up all kinds of imaginary games to play with my kids! Pop into Sam's shop HERE soon to grab some yummy goodies - I'm sure she would be only too happy to find you the perfect 'menu'. Happy shopping!

Milla's Kitchen - handmade by Papa & Grandma Barbara

EDITED 11th July 2012: DUE TO SUCH A HUGE AND POSITIVE RESPONSE I STILL RECEIVE FROM THIS POST AND PLAY KITCHEN CREATION I DECIDED TO START AN ALBUM OF ALL THE PLAY KITCHENS MADE FROM TV CABINETS THAT HAVE BEEN INSPIRED BY THIS ONE. PLEASE FEEL FREE TO EMAIL ME YOUR BEFORE, DURING AND AFTER PICS OF YOUR PLAY KITCHEN TO GIGGLEBERRYCREATIOSN@GMAIL.COM AND I WILL HAPPILY ADD THEM TO THE ALBUM HERE
About 6 or so months ago I was floating through 'blog land' as I do from time to time and somehow I stumbled upon Sutton Grace blog, where a particular blog post jumped out at me: A repurposed play kitchen. The very clever Erin of Sutton Grace blog had taken a 2nd hand TV entertainment unit and turned it into a mini kitchen for her little girl. I LOVED this idea sooooo much and sat looking at the blog post for the longest time trying to work out if I could do it myself.... I decided in the end mine would never look that amazing. So after sending the link onto my mum and sisters to show them how cute the kitchen was I continued on floating 'blog land' and kinda forgot all about it.... Until, this weekend just gone.
As you have probably read in my previous posts, it was my little girl, Milla's, 2nd birthday party on the weekend so all her cousin's, aunties, uncles and grandparents got together for a little party. My parents live approx 4 hrs away so they were making a special trip to Sydney for the party, or so I thought. In fact they had a special delivery to make to the birthday girl...


Yep, that is Milla's very own repurposed play kitchen!! My mum had taken the link to the Sutton Grace blog I had sent her oh so long ago and showed my dad (who has a builder's background) and together they made this truly one of a kind and absolutely gorgeous play kitchen!!


It all started with this pre-loved TV unit that they got for $30!


The dvd player shelf was removed and all the doors were taken off for sanding and the first coat of undercoat paint.


Shelves were added to what was the cupboard to make it a fridge & freezer. Then another coat of paint.


A hole was cut in the shelf where the TV once sat and a tap was added. The fridge and freezer were fitted for their doors. Then another coat of paint.


Dad removed the entire back of the unit and replaced it as their were holes in the original back for the TV and DVD player cords. The microwave was added to the top corner of the TV space. Then another coat of paint.


The fridge, freezer and cupboard doors went on.

The microwave and over doors have dark perspex in them to add to the real look. A 'window' was added by placing a photo behind a piece of clear perspex with a frame around it and attaching it to the wall. Mum made curtains and matching tea towels. The stove top is a piece of timber with four coasters glued on it to act as hotplates the four knobs were added down the side of the stove top that all turn so Milla can 'really' cook. Dad even added little baskets to the inside of the fridge door soit looked just like a real fridge. Then with a printed out keypad added for the buttons on the microwave and a few hanging cooking utensils the amazing transformation was complete!!



Milla LOVE, LOVE, LOVES her fabulous kitchen and so do I!!! We went through our real kitchen cupboards and found all kinds of boxes and bottles to put in her fridge, freezer and cupboards and we have baked non stop since the new kitchen was 'installed'!


I can see many, many, many years of fun with this handmade with love treasure.
Thanks Papa and Grandma Barbara xoxox

Party Pics

What a day!! Milla's 2nd birthday party was a huge hit with lots of fun & giggles!!


All the kids had plenty to do with jumping castle, pony rides, face painting, cake and we even took along a bunch of water spray bottles for a bit of water splashing silliness to help stay cool in the 41 degree heat!!



I think the cake turned out pretty good in the end, what do you think?



At the last minute I decided to make fish name tags for all the party favor bags I had got from Complete Party Boxes to keep the fish theme going, pretty cute hey?


Milla had a ball and was spoilt rotten from all her wonderful grandparents, aunties and uncles.... and with her actual birthday not happening until the 29th of November the fun just keeps coming!!

Party Planning!

Hooray for birthdays!! Miss Milla turns two in a week or so and this coming Sunday is the party day!! We are doing it VERY casual to keep it stress free for everyone so have booked a few tables at the Ettamogah were on Sundays not only do kids eat free but they also have face painting and a jumping castle!!


For the birthday cake - after flicking through a few cake books and floating party websites and blogs I decided on a fish shaped cake. Milla loves fish and the cake decorating doesn't look too hard.... I'll be sure to take a bunch of photos to share.
I then decided to run with the fish theme and popped into the gorgeous (and so convenient) Complete Party Boxes website HERE and have bought a bundle of party bags and fish themed party favors including these very cute and fun Fish Bubbles. also in the bags are fish temporary tattoos and fish gummy lollies.


To top it off I asked Carley from Vanilla Pixie to custom make a set of her sweet 'Tropical Fish' Classic Clips to complete Milla's party outfit.


Now my fingers and toes are crossed the ridiculous heat that is predicted for Sunday doesn't quite make it and the day should be a fun one for all.
I'll be sure to report back on the fishy fun!!

Christmas Shopping? May I suggest....

Less than 6 weeks until the Jolly man in the red suit pops by for a visit - Yay!
I've been buying bit and pieces all year long and adding them to the secret gift cupboard in my house but now that we are so close I thought I'd share a few of my purchases with you - maybe sparing some inspiration for your gift list too??

What better place to start than with these gorgeous 'Jingle Sox' from Deekie Belle Designs.


Only last weekend my whole family (we are talking Mum, Dad, my 2 sisters, my brother, my sister in law, my brother in law & 6 nieces and nephews plus my little clan) all were spoilt to a weekend away together by my Mum & Dad. So I was on the hunt for a special thank you gift for Mum and Dad from us all and had decided a Christmas decoration of some sort would be perfect as they would have it time to enjoy it the entire 'Silly Season'.
I finally narrowed my hunt down to a personalised Christmas stocking each so when I spotted the Jingle Sox I just had to have some!!
The very clever, Jenny, behind the Jingle Sox was so very lovely and after all my questions, queries and demands she came up with exactly what I had in mind - I LOVE them. You might not be able to see in the photo but Jenny embroidered 'Papa' & 'Grandma Barbara' on the stockings at my request too.


Mum and Dad were so excited to receive these stockings and are just thrilled with them!!
Jenny has plenty more listed in her etsy shop HERE in all kinds of bright, fun and funky designs. I highly recommend theses stunning Jingle Sox -you won't be disappointed! Happy Shopping!

'The Great String of Bunting' - Part 2

Done Diddely & delivered!! That's right all 200 flags have been cut, sewn, ironed, attached to their 60 metres of ribbon and hand delivered!!
There were a few bumps along the road like the ribbon I originally ordered for the banner not showing up on time (in fact it still hasn't arrived!) and the customer deciding they would like a floral fabric thrown into the mix - but neither of these things deterred me from completing this fun challenge in time... with a little help from my two kiddies for having an extra long snooze on the perfect day :)
After sewing the final flag into place yesterday I just had to snap some shots of 'The Great String of Bunting' to share.




My very well behaved 3 kids and I hand delivered the bunting this morning to Belle Laide Events and have been told there will be a professional photographer at the event the banners are to be used at, on the 22nd of November, so I will be able to see (and share) some snaps of 'The Great String of Bunting' in use - Stay Tuned!

Polka Dots Style!

Just a quick thanks and 'shout out' to Thetis of Little Sooti for including Giggleberry's best selling bunting set 'Strawberries & Cream' in the fun and funky Polka Dot Style finds on her blog. Take a look HERE for all the gorgeous red and white polka dot items that the bunting is with - so very cute!!


Thanks also to Thetis for sharing in the blog post about the online kids boutique Little Styles. I hadn't heard of this great site before and after just one virtual wander through the shop I made a few purchases to add to the Christmas gift pile including these great lime green suitcases for my little girl to store bits and pieces in at the same time as being a fabulous decorating addition to her lilac and lime green room! Yay!

Customer Feedback Photos

The best part of making a custom ordered bunting banner is seeing the finished product 'in action'. I just LOVE getting photos back from my Giggleberry customers showing off their new banner/s in use and these latest images are just too cute to not share with you.
I was asked to make a set of banners for a 'Bob The Builder' themed 1st birthday party. The banners were to have red, blue and yellow flags and then a yellow flag banner needed to be personalised with the birthday boy's name: WILLIAM.


Just today, William's mum emailed me these adorable photos of her little guy posing with his new bunting banners. She hasn't decided which one yet but one of these photos will be used for the party invitation... what a honor!!