The Things You Should Do Every Day

These are the things I deeply, passionately believe you should be doing every day.

Smile its good for your mood, its good for the people around you, and therefore makes the world a better place. And if you have to show your age in your face, let it show more happiness than grief, you will thank yourself later.

Laugh it is the best medicine, after all.

Sing it increases your happiness (love those endorphins) and distracts you from stress and pain. I sang my way through painful injections under my nail bed and in my heel.

Sigh do it, a contented sigh is music from the soul.

Stretch push yourself to new experiences by stretching your body and your mind.

Play it is good for your inner child.

Be Grateful it is the most rewarding and enriching experience you can have.

And the good news is.... all these things are completely free!

"What a wonderful life I've had, I only wish I'd realized it sooner", Colette

On Valentine's Day, with Love

Myspace Comments

To all who read this, you are wished a wonderful weekend, and a Happy Valentine's Day, whether old friend or new, relative, or passerby, I have found great happiness through founding this blog, and you are the reason for this enjoyment. You have taught me that my passions, and ideas and kind words are wanted and welcome in this world, so thank you, and enjoy your day.

I am single but I believe this year holds great promise for me, I have already met some very fine fellows and am finally ready to move on in my life. It looks like it may be beginning to rain men, how can I complain, I am dizzyingly, spinetinglingly happy (yes I know they aren't proper words, I am after all, a writer) but I made up my first word very early in life when I declared that it was 'a puddly day' in a story for school. The school librarian who was filling in as a substitute teacher ummed and arhed and finally said, 'yes, I suppose it was a puddly day, good girl'.

So from my heart to yours, have a great Valentine's Day, xxx Starry

Easy Valentine's Day Treats

'I Love You' French Toast.

2 eggs, 1/4 cup milk, 1 teaspoon cinnamon, 6 slices of stale bread, 1 teaspoon of margarine, 1 teaspoon of orange zest.

Lightly beat the eggs, mix in the milk, cinnamon, and orange rind. Heat margarine in a large frying pan. Dip the slices of bread in the egg mixture and fry on both sides until golden brown.

I like to make a smiley face with a thin slice of orange on a piece of toast, and two eyes made of raisins. You could use a heart shaped cookie cutter to make a heart shape by sprinkling sifted icing sugar or castor sugar inside the perimeter of the cutter on top of a slice of toast.


Message Cupcakes

cupcake mix ingredients, heart shaped candies, marshmallows.

Simply prepare your usual cupcake recipe, or if you need a timesaver, I love Green's or White Wings packet mixes, you can get Pink Ribbon fundraising cakes from the supermarket that are a vanilla cake with pink frosting, ideal for Valentine's Day. Make the cakes, and when you frost them, apply those little heart candies, the ones that say things like 'be mine', or 'true love', etc, if they seem to be dissolving into the icing, you can wait to apply them until you are presenting them to the recipient, or try resting the heart candy on top of a marshmallow.

Marshmallow Necklaces

packets of marshmallows (pink and white ones for contrast), a clean sewing needle, cotton thread.

If you have ever strung popcorn onto strands of cotton for Christmas, then you know what to do, simply pass the needle through the centre of each marshmallow to make a necklace, I like to do this for children.

Easy Paper Mosaic Heart Card

I use one sheet of A4 cardstock, and shreds of high gloss magazine paper from adverts that have large sections of space without print, my card (at top of post) uses tones of aqua and purple shredded paper, but you could use all pinks, reds, or rainbows of colour as you prefer. Tearing the paper into pieces gives the heart a patchwork look, like a mended broken heart, cutting the pieces with scissors is neater but doesn't have the same folk craft effect.

Draw or trace a heart shape on the card stock (folded in half to make a card) and then randomly attach the pieces of shiny paper using glue, Uhu gluestick is good because the paper doesn't get too moist (moist paper shows print from the reverse side). This is one of the most economic card projects I have ever completed and is easy for children to do for their parents, grandparents, or friends.

Embellished Gift Boxes

I buy very cheap boxes at Spotlight, and then I decorate them myself, this box, given to a dear friend, has a gold filigree glued on with stainless adhesive, then a metallic dragonfly charm glued diagonally over the filigree. The box suits any gift from a truffle or rumball, to a shell, blossom, cyrstal, or jewellery.

I hope you have some lovely plans in mind for Valentine's Day, remembering that it is the thought that counts, and it is a great day for finding out that you are thought of. Tell anyone, friends, family, partners, just how much you love them. The message is free, and it doesn't get easier than that.

Love, Starry

The Do's & Don'ts of Gifts for Children

The Do's & Don'ts of Gifts for Children

Now that school has returned, there will be party invitations coming home in schoolbags around the nation. When you are a parent it is natural that you would prefer your child not be given certain things as gifts, but how can you let these perferences be known without seeming rude? I would avoid any reference to these things on invitations, nothing scars an invitation more than this kind of thing. It would be better to let your concerns be known through conversations with other mothers before it is time to arrange a party, through natural sharing of thoughts and ideas as you get to know other parents in the community.

Any parent knows the dread they feel when their own child unwraps a noise making gift - by this I mean drum kits, blaster guns with very loud sound effects, cars and trucks with sirens.... So these would be wisely avoided unless you want some degree of payback when your child's birthday comes around.

It is very common now for parents to make a blanket statement against weapon type toys - guns, swords, bow and arrows - and I completely understand, especially when it comes to toy guns. Toy guns, if you ask me, are as bad an idea as those novelty cigarette lollies that were sold when I was growing up. Objects that are dangerous when used as intended are not ideal products to have replicas and toys fashioned after them.

I have very strong objections to giving children makeup for presents. In the first place I will not let a girl wear makeup until she is 12 years or older, and secondly many of the makeup items given as gifts are cheap and of such poor quality that they are unhealthful and possibly dangerous. There have been cases of skin reactions, and in more serious cases illness from inhaling fumes (from nail polish and lip gels) lead based products have been found even in popular adult brand of lipsticks. Analysis' performed for current affair type programs have shown carcinogens abound in make up products aimed at children. I would definitely let it be known that you do not want your daughter to be given makeup.

It is wise to be wary of gifts from cheap markets and shops such as Cost Plus and the $2 Shop as they are very poorly constructed, have small parts which can be swallowed or plastic that snaps and cracks cutting fingers, and may even be unsuitable for children to suck and chew on. Many imported toys are doused in chemicals which are difficult to remove from soft toys which are labelled 'surface clean only'.

I realize it is very difficult to afford a gift for every classmate or friend who sends your child an invitation, perhaps an arrangement could be made between parents for 'no gift' parties to be held. Otherwise anything you can make yourself (view past projects on http://www.easygiving101.bigblog.com.au/ including beaded jewellery, embellished headbands, gift boxes, button design shirts, paint and sequin shirt designs, and card projects).

I will post in the near future some simple party activities, as well as food ideas for a tea party or teddy bear picnic, I hope you have found this helpful and feel free to pass this along to other mothers you know, love Starry

Valentine's Day for Men Who Oppose the Concept

Girls, please pass this on to all the men you know, I have written it with them in mind.

Fellows, my friends, I understand that you do not like Valentine's Day. It is commercial, it is materialistic, and it's annoying to be expected to shower someone with love simply because of the date on the calender. Have you seen the look on your girl's face when you run through these objections? If it were simply a case of their unreasonable disappointment and let's face it, probably a hissy fit as well, I would tell them to suck it up. Instead I'm telling you.

So you don't like commercial holidays? Really? Haven't heard you complain on your birthay, father's day or Christmas! As for the being told to to celebrate love because it is February 14 have you considered doing it on any other day? It would make a wonderful surprise.

I don't like commercial giving either, its the reason I founded this site. I like gifts from the heart, not the hip pocket. There are plenty of things you could do for free - write a note, place a flower from the garden on her pillow, give her a shell or piece of quartz you found on a walk. Serenade her with a song, even if you can't sing, to hell with the neighbours! Do that job she's been asking you to do for ages, surprise her with a willing heart, tell her you're sorry it took you so long to get around to it.

It would be a tremendous to surprise her any day of the year, but don't let her feel alone and unloved on Valentine's Day, tell her you love her. Tell her she's the most precious thing in your life. Don't do it to end the argument, say it because it's true.

Back To School Treats

These are my favourite back to school gifts and treats for 2009.

1. Novelty Mouse Pad, my Tweety mouse pad is the favourite thing on my desk, and yes people do still use mouse pads even if only to protect their desk from scratches. This mouse pad was under $10 in Kmart and you can also have personal photos printed onto mouse pads.

2. Rachael Hale contact papers for book and file covering. Her beautiful kitten and puppy photographs have been printed onto these trendy contacts and are available for under $2 a roll. I got mine at Big W.

3. Novelty Ice Bricks, they freeze solid and fit into lunchboxes to keep the contents cool all day, for under $5 and in a variety of stores, they are available with flower, heart, soccer, football, and basketball designs.

4. Nudie Juices, these are better than a lot of juices which are just sugared water. Nudie Juices make great after school pick me ups or breakfast boosters.

5. Glitter Gel Ink Pens, these are the cheeriest little gifts around and are terrific for craft, personal journals, letters and cards.... even mum's love them.

6. Highlighters - the older the student the more they will need, try to find the best value packs without too many yellow highlighters as these tend to fade and are difficult to read in many lighting situations. I like 'ice' highlighters and get a multi pack at Big W every year.

7. Bonnie Belle Lipsmackers, a great treat for girls going back to school.

8. Online stationery treats from Smiggle, I love their pens, highlighters, storage systems and the groovy calculators!

9. Post It notes, no longer restricted to plain yellow notes, there is a wonderful range of adhesive notes, I find they are useful for mums and older students.

10. Every student enjoys a new school bag, especially if they are able to get one in their favourite colours or themes (perhaps a character bag, like Hello Kitty, or Thomas the Tank Engine).

I hope this helps you parents and grandparents to find the necessary supplies and incentives for students facing a return or debut at school.

Easy Button T-shirt Project

You will find this buttoned t-shirt very easy to create for yourself, or for a handcrafted gift for others.

I bought a black t-shirt at Kmart for $9 and after washing and ironing it, I traced around a large star cut out (bought in a bulk pack from Office Works) using tailors chalk. I then laid the star cut out down on the table and arranged buttons onto it, ready to transfer one button at a time to the tshirt where I stitched them on.

The buttons were a combination of old spare buttons in my sewing box and a mixed packet of buttons purchased for $6.95 at Big W. The mixed bag was terrific with a combination of shiny and matt buttons, glitter, and even some heart and flower shapes included.

You could easily use this idea to create other designs, I have also made flowers, and it would be simple to create a heart, smiley face, dollar sign, music motif, and many other things. The shirts are so bright and cheery and get a lot of comments when worn out.