Mel's Must Have #2 Tin Town and a super duper giveaway

Now I know in my previous Mel's Must Have post on Le Creuset,  I was all about cooking and the kitchen, but today its all about pretty things, decor things, hand crafted things.  In fact when I went onto Tin Town's online store - it took a while for me to extract myself from the products page.  I think I sighed audibly a few times on every page.  A sigh of longing, of wishful thinking - you know the kind!  And so to give you a glimpse of what I found.  Let me show you some of the beautiful beautiful beautiful (was that enough times to get my point across?) decor art, art decor? (not sure which is more politically correct or is that decoratively correct?) - never mind! Confusing myself - and that could be dangerous.

So  let me just breath and sigh and long with you, as you have a look at some of these photographs.  Look at this bed, doesn't it just make you feel like you are living in a fairy land fantasy?  I love headboards, but this one has the makings of greatness.  I might wake up and feel like a fairy princess, though I may need to lose some pounds to not look like an overstuffed tutu.  Wonder if the headboard has magical powers too? 

 

These bookends are delightful don't you think?

  

OK so I couldn't resist putting a pink frame around this one but this is for all of us who are dying to host high tea, a whimsical tea party or just any tea party would have me bringing this little number out.  In fact forget the tea, just bring out the cake.  I can definitely see my fairy status being reduced to ground control with all the cake decor circulating on this blog.

 I love the vase on the wall, with this kind of backdrop.  I think any flower would look like a piece of art.

 

Some more cake, on a stand that just begs to be noticed.  These neutral tones would complement any baked delight - yes it would probably even work for one of those 5 minute whicky wacky cakes.  You would have your guests thinking you had worked on a cake for hours with a cake stand like this.

Now why didn't I know about this store over Christmas time?  Christmas tree decorations are always a big deal in our house and we are always on the lookout for some new ideas.  What I love about these is that they are glitzy and strong - a serious added benefit with a house full of children.  This is just the bling I need  and I won't need to replace them every year.

 Wall art - true inspiration.  Little birds on these letters just look so sweet and homey- a real sense of serenity.

 I could have a room full of these.  Trees on every wall, and the detail with the little butterflies makes it a perfect inspiration for a little girl's room. 

 And for those of you that are only interested in decorating your gardens, there are these little creatures just waiting to fill your garden with life.

Isn't this a magnificent piece of art.  What creativity and what a beautiful room divider!  This really is one of my favourites.

I love their simplicity, their whimsical designs and I could find a place for everyone of these items in my house.  Please Note:  I have not been asked to write about this product. I get nothing from doing this - these are some of those things that I would simply love to own.

However

Because I love ya- yeah I do. I love all of you,  because you are what motivates me to spend far too many hours on my computer to bring you post after post.  Encourage you, make you laugh or even just to roll your eyes and say to yourself "you see - I am not so bad, look what she's like".
So back to that loving feeling - I phoned up Tin Town and told them how great you all were and how much you would all love an opportunity to win one of their amazing products.  And they came back with a resounding yes!  And this is what is up for grabs in this giveaway.

Tin Town are giving away six gorgeous animal hooks worth R450  to one lucky reader.  And here they are: 

How to enter:  

Like their facebook page and come back here and leave a comment to say you have.

 

 For additional entries:

* Visit their site, and leave a comment here telling me what your favourite item is, in their online store.  

* Share this giveaway on Facebook AND/OR Twitter and leave a comment separately for each one to let me know you have.

(Remember that if you don't have a blog, leave your email address when you comment, so that I can contact you, otherwise you might not get your prize and you don't want to lose out on this one!)

Anyone can enter our Giveaway AND you can enter even if you have won one of the Giveaways before.  Because of shipping fees, this competition is only open to South African readers.

The Winner will be announced on Wednesday 30 May 2012.  

The Winners of the Yummy Sweet Candy Potatoes Giveaway

And so it only took me up to now to realise that I had still not announced the winners of the coupon giveaways! Silly me - so here they are.
Well done to Wendy, Vanessa, Karina and Jenny!  Look out in your post box for those coupons.  

Now you know that I don't review things I don't love.  Often I am the one to approach companies.  They are not knocking down my door, more like the other way around and in fact I prefer it that way because I only go to those I love.

So here's my new love! My sweet love - sweet potato fries.

The only reason I initially picked these up was because they were on special (of course) for a cool R9 which is a real bargain for ready made, ready cut, pop into the oven type of chips.  And with children who LOVE chips - this looked like a healthier option than regular fries.

Ruthie is a real chip girl.  In fact she is so in love with chips (fried, crisps, chips, roast potatoes) that she can barely think straight when they are in the same room. She can hear the rustle of a chip packet within a half a mile radius (that might be a slight exaggeration but then again I have never tested her on this and it wouldn't surprise me if she has chip-supersonic-hearing).

And in fact her obsession with chips has become an issue of much laughter in our house.  We often tell her that her nickname is Nick Nack and that one days she's going to marry a Simba Chippie.  (My South African readers are the only ones who will probably understand this reference.  For my other readers, these are just 2 chip brands in SA).  I digress.

So I tried these chips out and loved them.  Its like eating candy.  They are sweet, crunchy and absolutely delicious!  If your children are not fans of sweet potatoes, you might convert them yet with this variety. 

I find sweet potatoes are normally a lot more expensive than regular potatoes.  So I was really surprised that these were such a good price.  So I don't know about you but this is a sweet deal for a convenience food! 

Of course I wanted to share the goodness and wanted you all to taste them because they're gooooood.    

And because I love these chips, and I love my readers and I know that McCain would love our readers to love them too - we have some coupons for you to buy some of these snacky, candy, sweet potatoes!  

 I will be giving away 12 coupons for a R5 discount on every packet of sweet potato chips you buy.  

4 readers will win 3 coupons each valued at R15!  All you have to do is post a comment and tell me what your favourite type of oven chip is - crinkle cut or straight cut? 

(Remember that if you don't have a blog, leave your email address when you comment, so that I can contact you, otherwise you might not get your prize!)

This giveaway is only available to our South African readers AND you can enter even if you have won one of the Giveaways before.  Its open to anyone whether you live across the ocean or next door.

The Winners will be announced on Friday 2 March 2012.  

The Winner of the Ceres Zip Slide Adventures Giveaway

And so its Friday and we have a winner!  

Congratulations to Helen Baker for winning 2 tickets valued at R800  to enjoy the adventure of the Ceres Zip Slide Tours.  Have a blast and make sure to take some photographs.

Thanks to Angelique and Gawie Le Roux who own Ceres Zip Slide Tours , we have 2 tickets valued at R800 to give away so that you too can experience the adventure.

How to enter:  

Visit their site at http://www.ceresadventures.co.za and answer the following question by leaving a comment:

In what mountains in Ceres do the Zip Slide Tours take place?

(Remember that if you don't have a blog, leave your email address when you comment, so that I can contact you, otherwise you might not get your prize and you don't want to lose out on this one!)

Anyone can enter our Giveaway AND you can enter even if you have won one of the Giveaways before.  Its open to anyone whether you live across the ocean or next door.  Bearing in mind this prize is in Cape Town.

The Winner will be announced on Friday 10th February 2012.

The Winner of the Cape Science Centre Giveaway

The winner of the Cape Science Centre Giveaway goes to ..... drumroll!!!!

Trys (Trixi) WoW, what an amazing center. Pity we're not closer, Misha would have loved the LEGO activities & Jesse would have enjoyed the Robotics training. I will definitely have to schedule the centre into our next trip to Cape Town which at this stage is planned for March/April.

Yes, the Cape Science Centre is offering a giveaway of a family package of 4 valued at R132 rand!  This competition is only open to those of you that can make use of the tickets.  However if you are not local, you can still enter if you can bless someone you know in the Cape Town area!

How to enter:  

Visit their site at http://www.ctsc.org.za and come back and leave a comment giving me the name of any one of their December/ January holiday activities.

(Remember that if you don't have a blog, leave your email address when you comment, so that I can contact you, otherwise you might not get your prize and you don't want to lose out on this one!)

Anyone can enter our Giveaway AND you can enter even if you have won one of the Giveaways before.  Its open to anyone whether you live across the ocean or next door.

The Winner will be announced on Friday 27th January 2012.  

Don't forget you still have time to also enter our Reading Eggs Giveaway

Winners of Reading Eggs Giveaway Back by Popular Demand

The Winners
 We had 83 entries to this competition which is wonderful!  Thank you for all entering!  So the winners were supposed to be announced last night but I wasn't anywhere near a computer, so here they are this morning.

The two winners are:
Lynette Bantjes
Nor Fyadzillah Mohd Taha

Well done to both of you and trust that you will enjoy reading eggs as much as we do!

I hope some of you signed up for this program after the last giveaway for a trial run and discovered like I did, what a phenomenal program this is.  And so Reading Eggs has decided to sponsor another two subscriptions for a year! 

This reading program is suitable for children from 3 years to 12. The youngest children start in a playroom, and then as they progress they build on what they have learnt.  The older children start on a rotating island which they explore and compete to win various golden eggs.

The whole program is colourful and fun with lots and lots of games (which are all learning activities but FUN ones.)  The children earn golden eggs for completing various games and they can go shopping with it.

My children beg me to use this program daily!  I have never found it so easy to motivate them to read.  In fact in the older section there are over 600 e-books to read with very familiar titles.  They not only have to read the books but they have to answer comprehension and vocabulary questions to earn their golden eggs and there are lots of fun rewards which motivate the children to want to read even more.

Reading Eggs would benefit 

*  reluctant readers

*  beginner readers 

*  children who love reading

* children with special needs

And so after using this program and loving it, I asked them for a prize and we have 2 X 1 year subscriptions valued at AU$79.95 or £39.95 for 2 lucky readers!  ( Each subscription is for one child) So go ahead and enter!

This is How to Enter the Giveaway

You can do any of the following and you will be entered:

*  Follow this blog through Networked Blogs (found on the right hand column)
 OR
*  Leave a comment 
OR
*  Subscribe to updates by entering your email address ( also found in the right hand column )
OR
*  Follow with Google Friend connect (right hand column - sounding a little repetitive I know)
 Of course if you want to do all 4, because you REALLY want to win this amazing subscription - you will increase your chances!


(Remember that if you don't have a blog, leave your email address when you comment, so that I can contact you, otherwise you might not get your prize and you don't want to lose out on this one!)

Anyone can enter our Giveaway AND you can enter even if you have won one of the Giveaways before.  Its open to anyone whether you live across the ocean or next door.

The Winner will be announced on Wednesday 25th January 2012.  

Whether or not you win this giveaway, why not sign up for a free trial of 14 days.  It's just worth every day!

How to get your child to read - Part 2

Previously I posted about how to get your children reading and hopefully you have had the opportunity to put some things in place.  For those of you with short term memories like me:  Some of the ideas included 

*  Putting Books Everywhere 

*  Getting a Variety
*  Reading to them A LOT

*  Dress Up when you read to your children

*  Go to the library often- and not just for books

*  Choose books for them

So now for part 2, yes you thought you had all the tools - but there are more.

Reading is such a vital part of a child's life!  When they can read they can do Maths, Geography, Science or any other subject because there is comprehension and understanding. 

So here are a few more thoughts on how to help your child read and enjoy it!

1. Creative spaces for reading

Beauty is inspirational.  Beauty can make a moment - a memory moment where reading can take place.  

I found some amazing spaces on Pinterest (yes I am seriously addicted), so many beautiful ideas to pin.

 

Fairy lights just make this reading corner so special, fairy lights make everything special.  I love fairy lights!  This is truly whimsical! Never mind for the children, I want a space like this.

Reading Tents, easy to make! I know my boys would love this

 And if you don't have a budget to buy material and wood, why not just throw a sheet over an area where your children can simply read and read?

Budget reading tent

And for some more beautiful ideas (or more boyish ones - because I know the girl in me loves all the pretty stuff that boys don't always enjoy) for shelving and decor for a reading space, you can check out on my Get them Reading Board

2.  E- Books

OK so what's the difference you ask?  

Well isn't it funny that the moment it becomes electronic their interest increases.  Get yourself a Kindle/ Nook or iPad - if you can afford one.  (I am still holding my breath for Father Xmas who still hasn't arrived with mine and may be barred from ever entering my house again if he doesn't arrive soon).
But never fear, now you can get an app for your computer, so that even if you don't have the equipment, you can still use your computer in a similar way. 

3.  Computer programs

I have posted before about Reading Eggs which has just been one my best finds ever! But there are so many others.  Some of them are free, some of them cost a packet.  Ask around, find out what others are using.  If your children are like mine, anything on a computer is a winner.  Even Ruthie who is only 3 is already fascinated with the computer.( I will post about reading sites a later post- notice the lack of dates, I have so many posts and these chubby fingers can only type so fast)

4.  Mom and Dad, Siblings and Grandparents - well actually just about anybody

Grab anyone who is available to read.  I don't always have capacity or time to read to all my children all the time, so find someone who will. And if they are especially patient individuals let them have their younger sibling read to them.  


Please note:  this works sometimes and other times there have been enormous arguments because the one sibling is telling the other sibling what to do:) or maybe it just happens in our house....

5.  "How to do" books

If it's Lego its Declan

if it's J-Boarding or fishing it's Ethan,

if its baking its Chad 

and if it has anything to do with princesses - then its definitely Ruthie

(that does go without saying - but thought I needed to say that anyway)

My children each have their own interests but if I happen to take a book out on how to build, make or catch something - or in the case of the only daughter in the house - how to make herself look like a princess, I find I have 4 very avid readers.

Give it a try.  You would be amazed.  Of course you may be expected to buy ingredients, take your child fishing and help him put that slimy worm on his hook, or endure endless changes of clothing - but you will have them hooked.  (couldn't resist)

6. Movies with subtitles

@£$%%££%&_(**(^^%%$*&&_*+(+*^$_+>?

Which means:  This will work if your child is interested in movies and wants to know what is going on.

So there you have it, in brief - 6 good ways to help your child to read.  And in fact not just read but love reading. 

And one last thing, I hope you remembered to enter the Reading Eggs Giveaway!  There's still time!

I would love to hear from you as to what works for you?  How do you encourage your child to read?  
Bribery?  Dedicated reading times?  Lots and lots of books?

Homeschooling Room of Dreams

I have been preparing for our new school year which starts on Monday which has included painting old book shelves, selling old homeschooling books, browsing CurrClick for any interesting down loadable products for this years homeschool curriculum. And who could resist looking at all of those ( I-could-never-afford-but-would-so-love-a-room-like-this) homeschool rooms.

Be warned - do not be intimidated.  Most homeschooling rooms truly do not look like this and if they did, they are far too perfect to want to use for children. Imagine the grubby hands, the insects found in the garden, the crusty half-dry play dough, the mouldy science experiments in any of these rooms?  Absolutely not.  But they are still inspirational.  I can't get the look but sometimes its just the idea of a shelf - or an arrangement - or a box.  Each one gives me something to think about.

My key test is what the children think of their home school room. If they thinks its great, then that's all I need to know.  And I DON'T show them these photos.  I only drool over these at night when they are not around:)

There was a time that we homeschooled through the house and in fact we still do - in the kitchen, in their rooms, on the patio, on the dining room table - but I still like to have a room where all there things are.  We use it as a base but we choose where we want to do our learning every day.  Also because we run a business from home and sometimes Sean has clients at the house, it helps to be in a room where some of the noise (though not all of it) can be contained.

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Have you been preparing a room? Why not send me a photo.  I would love to see the space where you learn.  Whether its your dining room table, your garage, the garden or any place that you do "school" or  learning, submit your photo.

For some other ideas why not have a look at my Pinterest Board 

 

Winners of the Reading Eggs Giveaway

So its Friday and that means it's time to announce our winners of the Reading Eggs Giveaway.

And the winners are:

Michelle and her comment was......

Hi, we are a home educating family. My son is 12 and my daughter 9yrs old. She loves reading and will read anything that grabs her attention. At this stage she loves anything about horses. My son on the other hand, detests reading for some or other bizarre reason as he grew up with lots of stories and books. He just does the necessary for his English program and reads his Bible for Afrikaans and sometimes he'll page through a book on Star Wars or something similar. I'd love to get him motivated to read some more. One of our favorite activities is family reading. The books we've really enjoyed reading together are Roald Dahl's books-I'm sure we have read most of them!; the whole Narnia series and Frances Hodgen Burnett's A little Princess and The Secret Garden....all but to name a few. A mouthful comment...! 

AND

Carla and her comment was......

Wow, what a wonderful prize. A great means to distract a little one into a love for reading whilst completing maths with another! I love all your ideas...thanks! My kids both love Dr Seuss and never tire of reciting whilst I read...great for a laugh after a tough day. Luke, 7, loves books on vikings, Romans and knights, ancient armour etc...we currently have about 7!! Zach loves poetry and humour....most of the Sonlight books are a hit so far 

Well done ladies, I am sure you will really enjoy have a year's subscription to Reading Eggs. Please contact me with your email address so that I can send you the details of your subscription.

How to Get your Children Reading and a Great Giveaway

 OK so I know that everyone is in holiday mode! And I know that you are not thinking about next year!  Of course you are! If you are not - let me know how you switch off.  I might not speak about it but my mind is running with ideas for next year.  Excursions, books to read, arts and crafts - the list is endless.

Whether your children go to school, or you home school - a big concern for most parents are Maths and English.  Could be wrong - but I know its almost always the centre of the universe for education.

I love the fact that my children love books.  Mind you, some of them just like to page through books, others read so fast I can't get to the library quickly enough EVER! and some need lots of help.  But they love books!  There have been a few ways that I have helped to encourage my children to read....and read .... and read!

My eldest son has always loved reading - so he was easy.  "You get books, I read".  My middle son was not as keen, he would rather be playing outside than reading, but some of these have really been key strategies for him learning to love reading.  Most of these strategies relate to the difficult readers!

Books  Everywhere

When a child is wondering around the house with nothing to do, they will see the books and pick one off the shelf. Make sure that you arrange them so that the covers catch their attention.  Don't just put them in a pile.  Spread them out on a table in the lounge.  Put one or two on their side tables.

Don't be disappointed if they only page through the book.  When they see something they like or catches their attention, they will want to find out what it says and if they can't read yet, they will ask you to read.

These books are in our dining room.

 

There are some lovely ideas on how to put up shelves using a gutter which allows you to put books everywhere.   

 You can find a simple tutorial on Raising Olives.  As a mother of 10 she has learnt how to ensure that all her children have lots to read everywhere!

Get a Variety

Get books on topics your children like.  Don't force them to read a specific type of book.  If your son likes fishing then load those shelves with fishing books.  My son loves anything he can make with some cellotape and a stapler. ( Did I mention that he thinks the world is held together by these two pieces of stationary?  If he sees something is broken he brings out the cellotape.  We go through a roll every 2 weeks.)  The point is, I get lots of crafty books.  Also skateboarding, surfing, J-boarding - these would be top of his "Like" list.

Read to them A LOT

Make this part of their daily routine.  I find reading to the children at bed time becomes a wonderful bonding time.  Children of all ages still enjoy this, especially if it's a family moment.  They might read at school or you might do some reading while you are homeschooling but their appetite for reading is huge! Keep feeding that hunger because they will eventually want to read by themselves - the frustration of waiting until the evening to find out what happened will motivate them to read.
If you are too tired, then let your older children do the reading and you listen with the other children.  I have loved those moments of cuddling up next to one of the younger children while the eldest gets a chance to read.

 Dress Up

You don't have to go mad (unless you really want to) but use a piece of clothing or an accessory that sets the scene.  Wear an eye patch when reading about pirates.  Face paint an animal character.  Put on a pretty dress when reading stories of a princess or a tiara.Use your imagination.

Go to the library - and not just for books

Go for books.  Go for the fun holiday programs.  Go for DVDs or the music selection.  The more positive the experience, the more your children will see books in a positive light.  Don't always rush in and rush out but give them a chance to browse and page.

Choose books for them

I let my children choose most of their own books.  I do scan them quickly to see if there is content that I don't think they should be reading.  While they are choosing their books, get some books that you think they might like.  I will often select unusual books or authors that they have never read.  I don't make a big fuss about it, I simply put it on the shelf.  At some point they will get to them. This ensures that they read widely and that you expose them to both fiction and non fiction books.  It also helps children move away from a specific type of book and explore a variety.

Reading is such a vital component of life. I trust that some of these handles will help you encourage your children to become avid readers and love books!

And now for the Giveaway!

I was recently given 3 months access to a wonderful program Reading Eggs to review.  And was I glad to do that!

This reading program is suitable for children from 3 years to 12. The youngest children start in a playroom, and then as they progress they build on what they have learnt.  The older children start on a rotating island which they explore and compete to win various golden eggs.

The whole program is colourful and fun with lots and lots of games (which are all learning activities but FUN ones.)  The children earn golden eggs for completing various games and they can go shopping with it.

My children beg me to use this program daily!  I have never found it so easy to motivate them to read.  In fact in the older section there are over 600 e-books to read with very familiar titles.  They not only have to read the books but they have to answer comprehension and vocabulary questions to earn their golden eggs and there are lots of fun rewards which motivate the children to want to read even more.

Reading Eggs would benefit 

*  reluctant readers

*  beginner readers 

*  children who love reading

* children with special needs

And so after using this program and loving it, I asked them for a prize and we have 2 X 1 year subscriptions valued at AU$79.95 or £39.95 for 2 lucky readers!  ( Each subscription is for one child) So go ahead and enter!

This is How to Enter the Giveaway

Simply leave a comment and tell me what books your children love the most.  Do your children love Roald Dahl?  Do they love comics?  Or do they devour Kids National Geographic magazines?

Anyone can enter our Giveaway AND you can enter even if you have won one of the Giveaways before.  Its open to anyone whether you live across the ocean or next door.

The Winner will be announced on Friday.  

Whether or not you win this giveaway, why not sign up for a free trial of 14 days.  It's just worth every day!

The Winner of the Psalms and a Box of Blessings Giveaway

 So its Wednesday and I know that you are all eager to know who won the Psalm Box of Blessings kindly supplied by Christian Book Discounters and of course the CD by Rhema Marvanne.

 And the Winner is Number 5 entry ........is Brigitte and her comment was: 

Ps 121 has been a huge encouragement to me, and I just have to look out the window at the mountain to remember that "my help comes from the Lord".

 Well done Brigitte!  

 ****************************************

Psalms is possibly one of my favourite books in the Bible.  I feel like somehow it speaks into every situation I am faced with.

 I love the fact that these writers wrestled with God, praised Him in their circumstances, questioned Him, doubted, or expressed their frustrations at the unfairness of life. Real people with real struggles.  No matter who we are, we are faced with daily challenges - family, finances, children, work - so many.  But within the pages of the book of Psalms, there is a place where we can be refreshed.  Where we can drink deeply and have our peace and joy restored.

 Part of that is as a result of thanksgiving.  When we stop focusing on what we don't have but what we do have- our perspective changes.  Some of you may remember 1000 Gifts - a List of Thankfulness by Children for Children, an activity I did with the children to remind them of how fortunate they truly are.

Because our American friends are celebrating Thanksgiving and we want to celebrate with them, even though they are on the other side of the world, there is a lovely Giveaway up for grabs.  

Thanks to Christian Book Discounters, who have generously supplied our Giveaway for this super prize of 101 Promises from Psalms.  One lucky reader will receive these 51 special inspiration and blessings from the Psalms. Each glossy card features a verse from Psalms and its packaged in a little sturdy storage box.  They are delightful and would make a perfect gift for someone special over Christmas.

And because I am feeling really generous and kind - because it's Friday and because I am really a generous and kind type of person (when I want to be), I thought I would add another delightful gift to the winner of this giveaway.

This young singer, Rhema Marvanne is only 8 years old and has an inspiring testimony of how she came to sing.  This is her story. (She has  a website where you can find out so much more about her and her mother who passed away after suffering from ovarian cancer.)

And so as part of this Giveaway, I will be giving away her CD "Believe" with tracks which include: * Just as I am *Over the rainbow * I thank God *Hallelujah * Just as I am * Hurt * No more night  


Her voice and her story are touching. I marvel at how someone so small can be so talented! But all for God's glory!  Again I am reminded of how we should never underestimate what God can do through our children.

This is How to Enter the Giveaway

Simply leave a comment and tell me what you favourite Psalm or verse in Psalms is.

Anyone can enter our Giveaway AND you can enter even if you have won one of the Giveaways before.  Its open to anyone whether you live across the ocean or next door.

The Winner will be announced on Wednesday.  

******

And for those of you that love Giveaways and if you want to enter another Giveaway, why not head over to Jenni C's who has a pair of children's Green Cross shoes to give to one lucky reader.

Have a super weekend and special times with family and friends