The Big Three

Issues Watch!!!

1 (new entry) - Global Financial Crisis
Still going strong at number one, the GFC is on most people's minds. Lower business confidence, less available credit, and a tightening job market have combined to bring a world of hurt to battlers everywhere. Australia is riding out the GFC quite well so far, but it's hurting some other countries pretty badly. Don't be surprised to see the GFC pull out a few more tricks to stay on top for a while longer.

2 (up) - Terrorism
After a while on the backburner, Terrorism came back strongly this past week. A horrific series of racially-motivated attacks in India reminded the world just why we've been worried about 'The Big T' for seven years or so. While Terrorism is on the decrease in the Middle East it has gained ground on the sub-continent. Expect to see some more movement on this front in the coming months.

3 (down) - Climate Change
The big loser to the rise of the Global Financial Crisis. To be fair, Climate Change's reign at the top of the Issues Watch table was always precarious. Once a real issue came along it was bound to be challenged, however Terrorism has been in decline and suffering from fatigue until this past week, so 'T-Dog' was unable to offer much of a threat. Climate Change faces a tough battle back to the summit. Without the publicity that comes with top spot it will have to seriously examine itself and make some hard decisions about where it's heading. The other problem is that the GFC is hitting Climate Change in a weak spot - the hip pocket. It's early days, but this could prove the beginning of the end for Climate Change's title push.

- - - - -

104 (up) - Ricki-Lee Coulter
Why isn't she more popular? Her song 'U Wanna Little Of This' is ridiculously dancy and catchy. She's fun, pretty, not a stick insect, and got pipes like a church organ. Here's hoping she does well in the US. (The other version of that song 'Can't Touch It' is just as dancy and catchy. Recommended pop music!)

- - - - -

256 (down) - Internet Download Limits
It's been a back week for IDL. It's copped some flak and for good reason. Thankfully an upgrade to IDL's planning means it's tripled it's capacity for no extra cost. But it will need to be on its best behaviour for a long time to come if it is to avoid any more trouble.

Heh heh heh. Seriously though, Ricki-Lee is awesome. I interviewed her once in person and she was absolutely lovely and friendly. It's sad about what happened to her marriage. I would like to see her succeed because she is clearly talented and I think she's a fun person. The mp3 I have of 'Can't Touch It' is way more awesome than the YouTube version for some reasons. The drums kick kick kick like well good. But anyway!

#43 Sixties Mod Christmas Trees

Amazing sixties craft trees from the blog curly-wurly...these are not to be believed. More to come!

#44 Q-tip Christmas tree

Bizarre Christmas crafts from the sixties...scanned from vintage craft books at the blog curly-wurly.

How to Make and Play a Homemade Hanukkah Dreidel

Playing a game of Hanukkah Dreidel is a great way to celebrate the holiday season with the family, it is an easy game that both young and old can play and making a homemade Hanukkah Dreidel is equally easy. Here you will learn how to make and play a homemade Hanukkah Dreidel that is easy to make, cost low and will provide hours of family fun:

http://www.associatedcontent.com/article/1212691/how_to_make_and_play_a_homemade_hanukkah.html?cat=25

Genie-ous!

If Mythical Creatures Existed no. four: Genies

Ahh yes, genies. Aka Jinn, aka jiff, aka Robin Williams. As far as I can tell, the existence of genies, especially in large numbers would prove catastrophic to this planet.

For starters
As soon as someone with a genie says something like "Argh! I wish everyone was dead!" then boom. Goodbye, Planet Earth. If that was their last wish, then we're screwed. Unless they can find another genie to undo their wish. Like I said, there are some major problems with having genies mix with the regular population.

Here's how I think it would play out.
- Genies are discovered.
- The first guy who discovers them ends up being King of the World, impossibly rich, and endowed with a harem of Swedish swimsuit models.
- The second guy who gets his hands on a genie deposes the other guy as King of the World, takes his harem of Swedish swimsuit models, and marries both Jessica Alba and Angelina Jolie.
- A group of former world leaders get together to "sort this shizz out" and find a trustworthy child to use a genie next. The child restores the status quo and puts a limitation on the future use of genie wishes. And... never has to eat broccoli again.
From then on genies would have their powers irrevocably limited by the child's wish. Genies would be heavily monitored and regulated, with their use saved for only the most important situations. Like for instance, wishing for a delicious bucket of KFC chicken on a Friday night would totally not qualify.

The benefits
Obviously massive. Stop world hunger? Check. Cure cancer and all diseases? Check. Stop slavery? Done. Make the moon inhabitable? Sweet. Build a magic bridge from your house to the newly-refurbished moon? Alright!
However, the potential problems far outweigh the benefits.

Uh-Oh
As already discussed, there are some serious dangers putting people in charge of immense magical powers. Because they use them. For selfish reasons. When the 500th ex-husband shows up to the Department of Magic in the body of a toad, something's gotta go. And that's just the nice stuff. When some poor bloke gets his genitals hanging off his forehead after an argument, he's in for a lifetime of serious, serious issues (not to mention awkward times in public urinals). And when a woman ends up perpetually pregnant after making an ill-advised wish, that one is going to stymie medical science.

No, genies existing would be more trouble than they're worth.

I hope the world's governments have a "Genie Action Plan" (GAP) in case they're discovered soon. Because I'm scared.

Ahh, I miss Aladdin. My cousins knew the whole thing off by heart. And yes, we quoted it a lot as children.

Free Printable Christmas Coloring Pages

Christmas is soon approaching and you will want to keep the kids busy during Christmas break and during the holiday visits to the relatives, a good way to do this is by giving them Christmas Coloring Pages.

Here you will find websites that offer free printable Christmas coloring pages:

http://www.associatedcontent.com/article/1219391/where_to_find_free_christmas_coloring.html?cat=4

#41 Garden Glove Christmas tree

by dew drop via flickr, according to my notes, but I can no longer find the link...

#40 Tapdancing Christmas Trees

Oakland Holiday Parade, by gwen via flickr

#39 Church full of Christmas Trees

by jacquib via flickr

Suri Cruise on Thanksgiving Day in NYC with the Beckhams

Ah yes, New York City in November...I was there this time last year and seeing these pictures of the Cruises out with the Beckhams in Central Park makes me want to go back again...And getting prettier each time we see her, little Suri was all rugged up in her Burberry coat and Splendid Littles Cherry Dot Dress. I thought these two photographs of Suri were delightful. By the way, Happy Thanksgiving to our US friends : )

Thanksgiving Weekend Sale Going on Now!

Save 20% off any order from SantaSuits.com. Use coupon code TDAY on orders $50.00 or more. Have a great holiday and happy shopping! Hurry, sale ends December 1st.

Costumes are not just for Halloween. SantaSuits.com features a great selection of Christmas costumes.

Santa Suits for any wallet and any size, up to 3XL

Mrs. Claus, Santa's Helper costumes

Elf costumes and more

Reindeer and Snowman mascot costumes

Christmas Costumes for Kids

Christmas Costumes for Babies and Baby's First Christmas Outfits

Biblical Costumes for passion plays and Manger Scenes

#38 1940s Christmas Tree

I want to time-travel back to this town. Just beautiful. [source]

How could you be so heartless?

The internet is still slow, so I'm struggling to even send emails. How did we deal with this back in the day?

Who remembers?
1) Making sure your sister wasn't on the phone and telling everyone in the house not to pick up the handset in case it caused your connection to time out.
2) Waiting for Netscape Navigator to load up properly, and watching the little wheel symbol.
3) Having to have Real Player installed to watch some of the grainiest video you've ever imagined.
4) Having to download a huge 1Mb attachment and silently cursing whoever sent it to you.
5) When you first discovered Google (and how much better it was than Yahoo and Ask Jeeves)
6) Downloading a 5Mb song took close to an hour, depending on your speed.
7) Going to a website with embedded songs or videos caused your entire system to slow to a crawl.
8) When sites like Lycos and Altavista actually existed.

Anyone else got any memories of the good old days of the internet?

#37 TinkerToy Christmas Tree

from the beautiful blog alittlehut

#36 Frosty Strawberry Christmas Tree

via 22butterfly

Happy Thanksgiving from Extreme Halloween

The Extreme Halloween family is thankful to our customers for their support, we thank our staff for all their help and we are most thankful for having a family that can work together!

From the Extreme Halloween Family to yours, Happy Thanksgiving!

Slow internets

Five things to do when you've reached your monthly download limit and it's a thunderstorm outside:

1) Catch up on How I Met Your Mother season four (done)
2) Do the freelance work you've been planning on doing (in the process of being done)
3) Listen to Kanye West again (it's happening, people!)
4) Go for a drive and get a souvlaki from the newly opened Souvlaki Hut! (Thinking about it...)
5) Play Football Manager (sorely tempted, even though my team is sucking at the moment)

Yes, the internet doesn't get fast again for a couple more days. We really need to change our plan.

Gigi & Lulu HEARTS Janie & Jack on Sale!

In an earlier post featuring the lovely little Suri Cruise, one of our favourite celeb toddlers (and apparently every one's favourite, according to Forbes magazine) - we blogged about a delightful smocked pink dress from Janie & Jack. I am always looking in their online boutique for new and beautiful fashions for little princesses - they have the loveliest garments, using soft and delicate fabrics. This little set caught my eye from the Janie & Jack Luxe Collection which is currently on sale, with limited sizes. In silk charmeuse, which may not be the most practical fabric for a toddler, this little Ruffle Top is so pretty and the matching tulle skirt is fit for a princess. You simply must check out their new Penguin Winter collection - I LOVE LOVE LOVE pink & green together for my little strawberry blondes and all the pieces in this story are mix and match - I can't decide which ones I love the best so visit their online boutique and decide for yourself

Baby Spidey in Baby Converse - Gorgeous!

How gorgeous are these mini Converse Chuck Taylor All Star High Top sneakers? Super-tot Ruby Sweetheart Maguire, daughter of Spiderman himself, Tobey Maguire, out and about in LA over the weekend in her groovy red pair - love the purple beanie too : )

Disney Princess Birthday Party - Top Tips & Suggestions

Here is a recap - Top Tips for hosting a Disney Princess Party:

1. Invitations & Guest List - Kids LOVE to dress up so opt for a theme - it allows for great photo opportunities and you can incorporate the theme right through all aspects of the party. Be creative with your invitations - try your hand at a little rhyme - you will be surprised at what you can come up with. If you have older children, ask for their help - imagine how fantastic they would feel knowing they wrote a poem for their own invites
2. Costumes & Theming - If you have the time, sew/make your own costumes or alternatively, try ebay first - you may grab a bargain at half the price of a costume place. Don't hire a costume - for what you pay to hire something that is likely stained and/or worn in places, you can buy a costume outright. Try Costume City - a US based online retailer - they have reasonable shipping costs, but make sure you allow extra time for overseas destinations. Simple theme ideas include balloons (all kids love helium filled balloons), re-usable stickers in your theme (reasonably cheap and can be used again for another party or to decorate a kids room) and a personalised sign to welcome your guests at the front door. For your party music, download from ITunes any music relevant to your theme eg a soundtrack from a movie, and create a party playlist in your Ipod so that all you need do on the day is press play and you are away. Try coordinating your table wear - plates, napkins/serviettes, party blowers, cups, goody bags - you can get heaps and heaps of themed party goods online, even on ebay, or alternatively from a party supply warehouse.
   
3. Food, Drinks & the Birthday Cake - For kids, you can't go wrong with basic party food - cocktail frankfurters, mini sausage rolls, fairy bread, chocolate crackles, just to name a few. There is so much going on, they tend to float around grazing on whatever is on the table. For the adults, why stress yourself out with cooking and preparation - save that for the cake ha ha! We arrange for our local chicken shop to cut up 6 or 7 chooks and they are pretty much ready to go. With fresh bread rolls, a few dressings and a couple of simple salads, the adults are happy too. Drinks you supply are at your own discretion - you know your family & friends' preferences. For kids, keep it simple. Most kids will drink water or cordial (not red!) but to save spillages, I opt for mini pop top apple juice - most kids will drink apple juice plus it will not stain carpet if spilt like Ribena would. Everyone has a different opinion of arranging their child's cake - some don't want the pressure of making a good cake, some opt for ice cream cake, others bake all day to get the perfect cake for their child. I would suggest a happy medium. Personally, I made a pact that I would make & decorate all my children's birthday cakes, which I bake the night before and decorate the morning of the party. It really is a personal preference but may I suggest the Women's Weekly Kids Cakes Book - my mum has a copy dated from the 80's and I have the new one - it has been a family favourite for decades. Goody bags need only be simple and inexpensive. I try to cut down on the lollies, instead I get practical little thank you gifts like hair clips and accessories for little girls and matchbox cars or trucks for little boys. Baby guests will receive a rusk and some bath toys in their goody bags. I usually stick to mini lollipops, a pack of mini m&ms and sometimes a pack of mini sultanas
   
4. Fun & Games - Again, the ideas are endless however my system is simple - we have a craft session (for something the children can take home with them), a few team games (to help with socialisation of the kids and encourage good sportsmanship, even though my philosophy with the games is to not have one winner but everyone wins in one way or another) and finally, my signature Daddy's Activity - the highlight of the afternoon, just prior to cutting the cake. With the craft, the kids will make something in line with the theme, my favourite team games include pin the tail on something, scavenger hunts or some form of musical chairs where the kids who get eliminated then get to chose what everyone has to do eg. instead of walking around the chairs, we have spots on the ground that the kids must hop around or silly dance around before jumping on a spot when the music stops. By letting the eliminated child choose how the kids continue in the game, it removes their sadness in being out. If all else fails, I recommend a jumping castle - all kids love it! My philosophy for the Daddy activity is simple too - the sillier you make your adult male guests look, the more fun & laughter the women & kids will have. Fun ideas include making the guys dress up in funny outfits and complete a relay, anything involving water is great too as they always end up drenching each other or a simple charades activity can be entertaining. I am sure your imagination could come up with something related to your theme. An example we did last year for our clown party was to have a clown wig, red nose, silly bow tie & big clown shoes in a bucket and the daddy's formed two teams and one at a time they had to run to the bucket of clown clothes, dress up in all 4 items, pose for a photo, undress and run back and tag the next team member. Not only did the kids get a laugh, we have some great bribery photos ha ha!
5. Thank You Cards - I can appreciate that not everyone has time to make elaborate thank you cards but a simple little thank you note is a nice way to teach your child gratitude and good manners. I just mock something up in Microsoft Word and I include photographs from the party in my cards as it is more personal and also a nice memento from the event. If the child is able, get them to write something on the cards, even if it is only their name a a couple of kisses and hugs, as this is more thoughtful.

I hope you have enjoyed my series on planning a Disney Princess Party - I look forward to covering some other theme parties for little girls in future posts - I would love to hear your suggestions or requests so please feel free to leave them in the comments section. Enjoy x

Related Posts: Part 1 - Invitations, Part 2 - Themes & Costumes, Part 3 - Food & The Cake, Part 4 - Fun & Games Part 5 - Thank You Cards

Content in this post is for the most part created by gigi+lulu - Copyright 2008

808s & Heartbreak

So you've probably been wondering where my review is. If you haven't been wondering that, well... you probably didn't read my old blog, which was 50 per cent Kanye, 30 per cent Arrested Development, and 20 per cent miscellaneous beautiful women.

Anyhoo, so yes. I bought it at JB Hi-Fi for $18, went home and played it through.My thoughts
- This is a singalong album. It's much easier to sing along to than his previous rap albums. And it's lots of fun to do it, as well.
- Kanye is sad. And when he's sad, everyone knows about it. Only 'Amazing' and 'Paranoid' are particularly upbeat. The rest are more reflective.
- The production is good. Over-the-top sometimes, but good to listen to.
- I think this is a cathartic experience for Mr West. Next year he'll be back with his swaggalicious fifth album, and he'll be back to being Mr Arrogant. Lyrics like "So you got a new friend/Well I got homies/But in the end it's still so lonely" and "See I know my destination but I'm just not there" show he's not nearly as sure of himself as he was. He lost his two emotional touchstones - his mum and his fiance - and now he's not as sure of himself.
- The songs I can't stop singing are 'Paranoid', 'Robocop', 'Say You Will', 'Amazing', 'Heartless', and 'Love Lockdown'. So yes, this is a pop album, with singalong choruses. A sad pop album, but still.

There was a list going around the internet the other week like Top Ten Reasons Kanye West is a Douche. It was... not all that funny, and most of the stuff they quoted was inaccurate. But whatever, Best Week Ever did a response and linked to a hilarious video Kanye commissioned for a song off his last album, featuring farmers rapping to his song and doing some square dancing. It's awesome.

Bottom line
- If you didn't like Kanye West before, there is a chance you will like this new stuff. I recommend checking out 'Paranoid', 'Heartless', 'Street Lights' and 'Say You Will'.
- Kanye will return to rapping. I think this is a diversion into pop that will influence his next work, not define it.
- I will end up singing my way through this entire album in no time. It's catchy, clever, and sad.

Bonus hilarious link - Clooney vs Jackman!

Idiot Central aka Tasmania needs a team in the AFL

My old paper runs a story on Tasmania's A-League bid.

I did a similar story in March, on the first day of the footy season. I splashed a big soccer pic on the back page, with lots of white space, and a headline with words to the effect of "Soccer on the back page on the first day of footy season - could this be the future? Angus explains inside." It was a massive talking point and caused a bit of a stir in the footy community.

Tasmania has teams in three national competitions: cricket, hockey and netball. We have no representation in the AFL, soccer, basketball or rugby (but who cares about that).

Soccer represents our best chance of getting a national team in a proper competition. My point was that if the AFL doesn't do more to promote their game in Tasmania, the A-League would win the battle for the six-year-olds and put a team here. Once that happens, Tasmania will slowly slide towards becoming more of a soccer state than a footy one.

The Mercury has been running the "It's Time" campaign to get us a team in the AFL. I have a major issue with it.

- All the pressure has been of the "we deserve a team cos we love footy" type. That means jack-all to the AFL.
- NO ONE has presented any case that claims it makes good business sense for the AFL to put a team in Tasmania. To me that would be the FIRST thing they would do. But apparently the wise old heads at Idiot Central haven't figured that out yet. OR, they have, and they've realised that it makes no financial sense for the AFL to put a team here. So they're trying to appeal to sentiment. Which is stupid, because the AFL is a giant robot that doesn't have enough RAM to feel emotions like sentiment.

Anyway, that's my thoughts.

In other news, Dr Harry presents his case for the legalisation of drugs. You may or may not agree, but it's food for thought.

And if you're looking for an example of hilarious Tasmanian comedy, check out Luke McGregor and Matt Burton's "Keng Chang". The video quality is poor but the lyrics are hilarious. Luke represented Tasmania at Raw Comedy and they do some hilarious songs together.

#35 Stripey, Eco-y Christmas tree

made from recycled wood, Shanghai aquarium [source]

#34 Anthurium Christmas tree

in Mauritius. [source]

#33 Candy ribbon Christmas tree

Only it's not. It's a perfume bottle from the 1940s and it's worth $500. [source]

Disney Princess Birthday Party - Part 5 - Thank You Cards

Party Planning Tip #5 - Thoughtful Thank You Cards

One thing about the aftermath of having a party that is important to me is to make sure I say thank you to our guests, not only for their gifts, but for coming along and celebrating with us. I also enjoy creating thank you cards that include photos to remind everyone of the fun they had. This year it was even more special because Gigi was at the age where she understood why we were sending the cards, and she loved the photos with her friends and family. As you have seen from my invitations, I enjoy writing little poems and I continued this theme with my thank you cards. I want to again stress that I don't fancy myself as a budding Shakespeare, however I just enjoy the fun & silliness of coming up with a unique thank you card. My friends will tell you, I have always been the creative type and having children has been the best way for me to explore this long suppressed part of my personality - lucky for you ha ha! So getting back to the thank you card - I included a cute photo of Gigi with her cake then each invitation was personalized with another photo, this time of the child recipient of the card. The verse I wrote is as follows:

THANK YOU

On Sept 28, at the fair castle of White*

Princess Gigi summonsed her family and friends

For a very special night

Twas to celebrate her birthday, the princess turned four

What a beautiful day, she couldn’t have asked for more

All the tiny subjects of the kingdom,

feasted on fairy bread and cake

Fairy wands and beaded bracelets they certainly did make

All came dressed in their royal finery,

bearing gifts and gigantic smiles

Definitely the hottest ticket in town,

In our kingdom and surrounding miles!

The princess wishes to thank one and all for their part,

for their gift and good wishes, from the bottom of her heart

* name can be changed to reflect your own surname and line 3 of verse revised accordingly to rhyme with your name

Overall, the party was a brilliant success from the moment the invitations went out until the last thank you card went out in the mail. Hopefully you now have some new ideas for your little princesses' birthday party, and in tomorrow's post I will be doing a quick summary & checklist, along with tips & suggestions, so you too can plan a fantastic little girl's party that your little princess will never forget.

Related Posts: Part 1 - Invitations, Part 2 - Themes & Costumes, Part 3 - Food & The Cake, Part 4 - Fun & Games
Content in this post is for the most part created by gigi+lulu - Copyright 2008

JUst FoR HiM....

HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO YOU MY DEAR HUBBY,EN. SHAMSUL!!!!

ni adalah present yg aku beli kt kedai... kecik je tp byk makna!!!!!

today aku n nina are making cupcakes...just utk makan sndiri and present for my hubby!!! quite fun and interesting bila together making decoration for da cake.. mcm2 rupa and corak!!! nk tergelak pun ada gak bila tgk decoration yg tersilap sbbnye bila dh salah buat ape lg kitorang pun ngappppp masuk mulut. hehehe..

ni lah dia hasil keje yg dpt diselamatkn setelah beberapa cupcakes yg telah di design selamat masuk ke dlm mulut nina n yang plus mikail!!!!

this year birthday hubby aku,just bg cake je,nothing special sbb yg 'special' skali dh dpt before his birthday!!!hahaha...x yah tanye arrr ape dia,sendiri mau ingat lahhh... 

rasa seronok plak bila dpt uat sumthing special utk org yg kita sayang!!!  rasa diri ni lebih dihargai selalu.. THANKS SAYANG FOR EVERYTHING!!!

until here....outtttt.....

#32 Golf ball Christmas tree

Apparently only Santa can make these. [source]

#31 Minimalist Christmas tree

origami instructions here

In case you didn't get the memo

A list for people over 18 who may not have been informed about these things yet

Mature adults... do not send attacking text messages at 11pm when they're angry with someone. They speak to them on the phone, or see them in person. During daylight hours.

Mature adults... occasionally help each other out with favours, like giving someone a lift, or cooking them dinner, or cleaning up.

Mature adults... do not give someone two car rides totaling less than 480 seconds and then demand petrol money two months later. It's petty.

Mature adults... also don't get upset when someone uses their Gravox to make gravy for the chips they're cooking for everyone to eat.

Mature adults... do not have to hide a computer game they bought from their partner in case they get angry that they're playing more WoW.

Mature adults... do not go into an hours-long foul mood when their partner suggests leaving some self-raising flour at someone else's house.

Mature adults... do not cry when they don't get their own way.

Mature adults... see more than their own side of the story. The ability to see two sides of an issue is a key trait of a mature adult.

Mature adults... learn from their mistakes.

Mature adults... wait until they are calm before confronting someone about an issue. This allows them to more clearly develop their own thoughts and reflect on the other person's point of view.

And a last one...

Mature adults... who do not understand any of my above points, should probably refrain from labeling themselves as "mature adults".

Yes, so I didn't call last night in anger. That call is coming this afternoon. Fun.

Not Update Yet!!!!

still mengumpul citer latest... so just wait until i update my blog!!!! busy...busy...busy...

Shatner is the biz!

Your perception of someone colours your reaction to news about them.

For instance

Headline: 'Michael Jackson takes group of schoolchildren to play with monkeys in zoo'
My reaction: "Ewwww!!!"

Headline: 'William Shatner takes group of schoolchildren to play with monkeys in zoo'
My reaction: "Awesome! Shatner is the biz!"

There are some celebrities I will dislike no matter what they do. There are also some celebrities I will like regardless of what they do.
Ryan Reynolds
Is awesome! He hasn't made a great movie in like, ever, and 'Two Guys, A Girl and a Pizza Place' ended in 2001. But I think he's tops! And he married Scarlett Johannson!!! What a dude!
Will Smith
Will Smif!!! WILL SMITH!!! "Aww hell, you did NOT just do that!" Seriously, put a group of guys in a room with a Will Smith film and you will find a bunch of happy guys. Sure, there are all the gay rumours, and his wife is a bit of a tough-ass broad, and he spends a lot of time hanging round with Scientologists, but hey... it's Will Smith! The Fresh Prince! Punching aliens in the face! Here come the Men in Black! Getting jiggy wit' it! Bad boys, bad boys watcha gonna do? Hitch!! Will SMIF!!
Lindsay Lohan
Awww, Lindsay. Things have been tough for you. You grew up in the public eye, doing heaps of things that millions of other teenage girls do and get away with. You got your mistakes splashed across the world. You were awesome in Mean Girls. What can I say? I still think you're tops. Despite hooking up with the skankiest man in history (aka Brandon Davis), all the drugs and drunken nightclub staggering, I still think you're awesome. I'm glad you've settled down with someone you love who appears to be helping you stay stable.
David Beckham
So yes, you most likely cheated on your wife with Rebecca Loos. And you wear ridiculous outfits sometimes. But people underrate your footballing ability. You are a goalscorer, the best passer of a football I think I've ever seen, and a key part of Manchester United's success in the 90s and 2000s. And I'm envious of your ability to wear black people's clothes and look cool.
Mariah Carey
Yes, you dress inappropriately for your age. And yes, your obession with being a sexy hip-hop star does not play to your vocal strengths at all. And yes, you probably shouldn't have jumped into marriage with Nick Cannon. And yes... I still think you're awesome. A combination of 'Hero', the Christmas album (highest selling Christmas album of all time), 'We Belong Together' and me being in grade eight and you being rather gorgeous has all combined to mean one thing. In the (rather embarrassing) words of a friend of mine "I really like you."

Which celebrities do you like, despite all their flaws? And I challenge anyone to find a picture of Mariah Carey on the internet that isn't at least 98 per cent cleavage.

#30 House of cards Christmas tree

Disney Princess Birthday Party - Part 4 - Fun & Games

Party Planning Tip #4 - Fun & Games

The fun thing about children's birthday parties are the games & activities that go on - after all, when you think back to your childhood, the most memorable parties are the ones that had a theme and you can remember what you wore and what fun you had. Maybe thinking back to age 4 is a stretch for 30 something's but in this age of technology, at least our kids will be able to re-live everything on video/DVD as if they were actually back there on that very day. My mum says I missed my calling and I should be a pre-school teacher because of some of the ideas I have but like all good ideas, they come from lots of research ie reading and web surfing. For starters, at my parties I always have 3 areas in the entertainment department - a craft making session (so the kids have something to take home), a team building game (to encourage participation and self esteem) and of course, the annual Daddy activity - quite simply just for the entertainment of the women & kids, the sillier the better. For the Disney Princess theme, I decided to do 6 activities, all named after each of the Disney Princesses. I got a beautiful idea off one of my party sites to give each little girl a lovely keepsake from the party. You will need beading wire, 6 different coloured beads and one initial bead for all the little girls attending. They are given the beading wire with the initial bead already attached in the centre before we start the games and after each game, a new bead is given to be threaded onto the wire. The idea is that instead of giving prizes only to the winner of games (and I am not a fan of Pass the Parcel for this reason as most kids miss out), the little girls leave with a necklace of 6 pretty beads plus one with their initial on it. If they are anything like my Gigi which most of our little friends are, they LOVE jewellery and because they helped make it, it is even more special. Now you might ask, what about the little boys who attend? Well, in my experience, and I have created similar piece-by-piece keepsakes for boys, most of the little boys lose interest really quickly and prefer to run around or play in our toy room so I usually just have on hand a few little party favour things eg blowers and toy cars etc to give to the boys so they don't feel left out. So, without further ado, my six activities were as follows:

1. Cinderella - Take me to the Ball - Put simply, I played the theme for Cinderella ("A Dream is a Wish your Heart Makes") and introduced all the children one by one, as mentioned in Part 2 on theming & costumes, and took a photograph of each child. The idea was also to use this photograph on personalised thank you cards (refer Part 5 in my series). It was also a good way of introducing families that were new to our circle of friends, for example new pre-school friends of Gigi. Each little girl was also given their first bead - a BLUE one for Cinderella. Top Tip: download all the relevant music for your theme party to your Ipod and create a new folder so that music is in order and at the ready so you can just press PLAY and off you go!
2. Aurora Magic Wand - Since the story of Sleeping Beauty involves Fairy Godmothers casting special spells to reverse bad spells, our objective was to create our own fairy magic wands out of wooden spoons and glitter pens & stars. Each little girl was then given their second bead - a PINK bead for Aurora. What do you think about our efforts:
3. Snow White Pass the Poison Apple Game - I am not a fan of Pass the Parcel, having seen how upset kids can get when they miss out (ahh, yeah that is usually my child ha ha) however this is a variation on it using an apple. As the story of Snow White goes, she bites into the poison apple and falls into her deep sleep, awaiting her prince. Using a lovely Andre Rieu version of "Heigh Ho", the kids passed the apple around and when the music stopped, the child with the apple took an imaginary bite and then pretended to fall asleep. When there was eventually only one child left, that child had the job of handing around the third bead - a RED one for Snow White
4. Ariel Pin the Fin on the Mermaid - A game I am a fan of is pin the tail on something. We don't make a big deal of the winner in our version, instead the laughter this game generates when someone pins a red nose on a clown's foot or a tutu on a ballerina's head is priceless. I had planned to make my own Ariel but ran out of time - instead we had one of those mega colouring-in books so Gigi & Lulu (and Daddy!) helped colour-in the picture of Ariel and then I bought some lovely frangipani stickers and the kids had to pin the flower on Ariel's hair. Most kids get close to the mark so it looks really cute and we still have the poster stuck to the toy room door where we actually did the game on the day. Of course they also got bead number 4 - GREEN for Ariel
5. Belle - Make your Own Edible Tea Cups - In "Beauty & The Beast", Belle befriends the Beast's servants - Lumière, a maître d' turned into a candelabra, Cogsworth, the head of house turned into a clock, and Mrs. Potts, the head of the kitchen turned into a tea pot. Related to this kitchen/tea theme, I saw this gorgeous recipe on one of my favourite websites - Kidpsot - and I had a trial run tea party with my lovely next door neighbour, Pat and of course with Gigi & Lulu and decided it would be a great idea for the kids to make (and eat!) at the party. The kids had a great time making their own tea cups out of lollies (a marshmallow, half a musk Life Saver, a Tic Toc biscuit and a chocolate Freckle) and though the preparation of the icing mixture (to stick everything in place) was a little bit fiddly, the outcome was worth it. The 5th bead for Belle was YELLOW
6. Jasmine's Musical Carpets - This game is run like musical chairs (of course using "A Whole New World" from the movie Aladdin) but instead of chairs, use tea towels or something similar as "magic carpets", as in the story of Aladdin. Sometimes this can be a bit unfair, as someone misses out but the way to turn things around if you have a child that gets upset if they are out (ahem, yes, my kid again!) turn it into a dance game - still stop & start the music but give everyone a magic carpet and when the music stops, ask one of the kids where they want to take their magic carpet this trip and for example, if they say Australia, get everyone up and hopping like a kangaroo. You can make up your own rules - the kids are just happy to role-play. After this game, the children receive their final bead - PURPLE - for Jasmine and this competes their necklace keepsake from the party (the kids then proceed to mum to tie off the ends). Top Tip - if you have the time and the budget, buy proper necklace clasps from a beading shop and have them secured to the ends prior to the party. The kids were just as happy otherwise to have a necklace tied together and popped over their head.

So there you have it - 6 fantastic activities themed to the Disney Princesses and a keepsake & craft item to take home as well. Our parties of course are not complete without the annual Daddy activity. And this year was a beauty! In keeping with the 6 stage, Disney Princess related games, the Daddy's split into 2 equal teams and then had an obstacle course (receiving a point at each stage if you were the winning team) to partake in as follows:

1. Cinderella Pumpkin Run - We all know the story of Cinderella and the relevance of the pumpkin - I made the Dad's put a butternut pumpkin between their legs and ran a relay so everyone had a turn - the first team to finish got the first point. Check out out photo below - how funny do they look? Just to give you a perspective, our front yard is around 10m wide by 10m deep so we are not talking about a particularly large area..
2. Aurora Slay the Dragon Egg & Spoon Race - using toy swords, and real eggs, a traditional egg and spoon relay - a recipe for disaster when you drop eggs, as they often did!
   
3. Snow White Charades - I gave each Dad a piece of paper with a name of one of the 7 dwarfs on it. They had to act out for the name on their piece of paper so the women and kids could guess who they were. One classic example - one of the Dad's yelled "when are you gonna stop making the Dad's play stupid games every year!". if you didn't guess, he was Grumpy! And he was also not kidding - he is a regular participant, but one who always hides to get out of it first ha ha. We still love you Uncle Ian!
4. Ariel Fish Tail Relay - each Dad had to jump with both feet together - as if they had a fish tail on - to complete their relay
5. Belle - Pass the Tea Cup - The Dad's had to stand in a line, equally spaced out - and starting at one end of the line, hold a tea cup under their chin and then pass it along the line, also under chins. There were many close kissing moments ha ha!
6. Jasmine Magic Carpet - this was the best ending to a fun relay. Each team had to choose their heaviest Dad. They were given a blanket and told that on my go, the heavy Dad had to drop to the ground, be rolled in the blanket and then carried across to the finish line by the rest of the team. Let's just say, Uncle Greg & Uncle Paul are not little! One ripped blanket and a few bumps and lumps later, both teams tied and it was a fitting ending to a fun day of activities. We are so lucky to have fun male friends who were happy to play the games to the delight of the children. It is now a highlight of our parties and our guests always wonder what I have in store for them next year

Alot of people ask me why I don't have a pinata at my parties. The simple answer is I don't like them - I think they can be dangerous to the children as sometimes you just cannot anticipate what a child is going to do ie the stick could slip from their hands, they could go for another hit as the next child runs forward to claim their go - the opportunity for injury is endless. Having said that, we went to a party recently and they had a pinata with a difference. All the kids got to hold onto a streamer hanging from the pinata - kind of like a maypole - and on the count of three, all the children pulled their streamer which in turn released all the lollies from the pinata. Awesome idea - no bashing or swinging sticks and a fair distribution of rewards. If I can get my hands on one of those, I will change my stance on pinatas for my next party.

I hope you have enjoyed reading my party games & ideas - we certainly had a ball at Gigi's party this year and if you can't tell, I had a great time hosting. In the final part of my series tomorrow I will be showing you how to create a lovely personalised thank you card as well as summarizing some helpful tips for planning a successful party ; )

Related Posts: Part 1 - Invitations, Part 2 - Costumes & Themes, Part 3 - Food & The Cake
Content in this post is for the most part created by gigi+lulu - Copyright 2008

Four life lessons I learned from sport
1 - Mental strength determines your level of success (cricket)
The difference between success and failure in cricket is concentration. That takes mental strength. Sir Donald Bradman is the best batsman ever because when he reached 100 runs, he didn't relax. He said other batsmen got out, he didn't. Ricky Ponting, Matthew Hayden, Michael Hussey and Simon Katich are current Australian examples of players with excellent mental strength (not that it's helping them much at the moment... and I really, really dislike Katich's approach to the game. But anyway). The Australian team has been so successful over the last 15 years due to their sheer mental dominance. Many teams were beaten before they even stepped onto the field.2 - You can be better than someone else (aka everyone is not equal) (basketball)
Play one-on-one with someone for an hour, and you'll soon find out who is the better basketballer. I used to love the game because I could prove that I was better. Sure, an inferior player can still cause problems. But it soon becomes obvious that one is better than the other. In basketball, talent and skill eventually comes through.
3 - Creativity is best married with discipline (soccer)
Soccer is a game of free expression. No time-outs, usually very free-flowing, and incredibly skilful. However sheer creativity will not succeed. Otherwise all those guys you see juggling oranges and scoring crazy trick goals would be superstars. No, the most successful players are those who can keep their creativity within a system. Who track back, defend, make the runs they're supposed to make, and then use their skills to unlock defences and make the pass no one else can see. Players who cannot marry their creativity with discipline get left on the bench and derided as "luxury players".
4 - If you want to compete at the highest levels, there's nowhere to hide (AFL football)
AFL football is a game where the smallest mistake can have huge consequences. A missplaced pass can lead directly to a goal. Failing to track a player at a stoppage can see the ball travel 140m in three kicks, meaning your team has gone from attack to defence in less than seven seconds. At lower levels of football you can get away with being slightly less accountable and get away with mistakes. However at every level of footy the players who make it are those who can be relied on to do their jobs 100 per cent of the time. At the highest level, every mistake is noticed. There is nowhere to hide. If you want to play with the best, you need to be prepared to be accountable for every action you take.

BONUS: 5 - Netball is for girls! ...and Mike ;) heh, no, I like netball.

And Dr Harry has written his own thoughts about Lara Bingle. I agree with his thoughts on this issue. Why does the girl get all the blame?

#29 Motherboard Christmas tree

with led lights, from Urban Outfitters

Disney Princess Birthday Party - Part 3 - Fun Food, Delicious Drinks & A Memorable Birthday Cake

Party Planning Tip #3 - Fun Food, Delicious Drinks and a Memorable Cake

I have covered invitations, costumes and themes for a Disney Princess Party and it is now time to feed the hungry little party animals. My formula for parties is simple - feed the kids first, get them started on an activity and then feed the parents. For now anyway, our parties are big affairs. We don't mean them to be but we have lots of friends with kids and our parties are for adults and kids alike. Maybe when the kids get older we will do the "drop off the kids only" party but for now, because they are all mostly under 5 years old, I much prefer the parents be there anyway, from a supervision point of view, so I can concentrate on the fun & games (refer Part 4 tomorrow). Back to food. Depending on how much time I have left in the morning after icing the cake, I try to make healthy alternatives to bowls of chips and Smarties. One such snack that was a hit with adults and kids were plain Jatz biscuits, topped with a slice of tomato and cheese stars - made simply using cheese slices and a star shaped cookie cutter. I have also made cheese and Vegemite scrolls - again, an easy recipe. Brush pastry sheets with a bit of melted butter then spread with Vegemite and top with cheese. Roll the sheets into a sausage shape, brushing the end with the leftover butter to hold in place. Cut the roll into lots of little swirls, line on a baking tray and cook for 10-15 mins or until golden brown. You can even substitute the Vegemite and cheese with ham, cheese and pineapple. I am not silly though - I know the average kid loves their junk, party food and mini sausage rolls (store bought, although Kiki's mother makes some really good home made options) and cocktail franks tend to fill that void quite nicely. My mum is on hand to help in the kitchen and these two options are quick and easy. Add some mini bread rolls and the kids can make their own hot dogs. Aunty Lala always brings her chocolate crackles and Gigi is now at the age where she helps make the fairy bread - always a hit! I also get some savoury vol-u-vants from the party shop, as well as Spinach & Cheese triangles for the adults and have a variety of dips and cheeses etc on hand to nibble on until lunch is served. Lunch for the big kids is usually always chicken & salads, the chicken I pre-order from our local chicken shop (asking them to cut them up for me to save me the time) and the salads are usually home made, usually by my mum who makes the best Caesar salad and also a pumpkin & rocket salad. I always have a plain Greek salad as well for those who prefer no dressing and complete with fresh bread rolls, everyone is happy. For the adults drinks we have beer, wine, soft drinks and we have a chilled water machine year round for those who would prefer. I used to make a fruit punch for the kids but found they were happy just to drink poppas of juice or water. Apple juice is very kid friendly - easy on the tummy and the carpet - one year I had apple blackcurrant juice - bad move on beige coloured carpet. For the adults for dessert with coffee or tea I usually get mini chocolate eclairs and though I find the kids don't usually expect dessert, I sometimes have ice blocks in the freezer just in case. This year I found some really cute mini gelatos at Harris Farm Markets which were a hit. Of course the best dessert is the birthday cake. Now I am not the world's best cook - my friends and husband will attest to that - but I have been known to make a killer chocolate cake over the years and I made a promise to myself that regardless, I will always make the effort to make my children's birthday cakes, preferably from the Women's Weekly Kids Cake book, as my mother did for me as a kid. For this cake, I actually found a really cool cake topper set on ebay (refer above right). The cake is simply 2 square cakes of varying sizes, one of top of the other to make the castle, and it is all in the decorating to give it the full effect. I am not a big fan of piping, as they have done in the picture, choosing to stick with plain white chocolate icing (with a few drops of red food colouring to get it a shade of pink) on a marble, vanilla cake (Gigi helped with the marbling before we put it in the oven). Each year I try to get into the routine of making the cake the night before but leaving the icing until the morning of the party. Sometimes this proves challenging time wise (especially when the fish tank decided to shatter just as I finished this cake this year, cutting things very fine!) but I find the icing is nicer if it hasn't been set in the fridge overnight. So what do you think about my attempt at the castle? I am very happy with the final product - it looks like it is alot more work than it is - but the main thing is the birthday girl was absolutely delighted with it. The final food item to discuss is the goody bags. I have always separated the bags into 3 kinds - boys, girls and babies. The babies goody bags come with rusks, baby bikkies and sometimes a little bath toy. I may even throw in a couple of Fantales for the parents. The boys & girls bags are the same food wise - usually mini boxes of Smarties, a few mixed lollies and one of my friends introduced me to Mini Chuppa Chups this year. I then find knick knacky little toys to include instead of too many lollies. Usually a toy car for the boys and princess jewellery or hair accessories for the little girls. Besides being more practical and something to keep, I am trying to save their teeth. I can't wait to share with you tomorrow's post - Part 4 in the series - fun & games! We have an annual Dad's game which is always a hit at our parties so make sure you check back here to see what we got up to this year ; )
Related Posts: Part 1 - Invitations, Part 2 - Costumes & Themes, Part 4 - Fun & Games
Content in this post is for the most part created by gigi+lulu - Copyright 2008

#28 Bookcase tree

Another bookcase tree installation, this time by Form UK, via iainclaridge

Halloween Costumes in Movies Quiz

See if you can remember who wore Halloween costumes in which movies in this Halloween costume movie quiz from AMC.

The quiz asks about the Halloween costumes worn in Donnie Darko, E.T., The Addams Family and other popular movies. Good luck!

#27 Christmas tree building

I think this will stand as the biggest, most expensive Christmas tree ever....

Sir Norman Foster's design for a 1500-ft-tall, 27 million square foot, $4 billion dollar "Crystal Island," a "city within a building" with 900 apartments, 3000 hotel rooms, an international school for 500 students, cinemas, a theater, a sports complex and more.

Proposed for Moscow, 2012, though in the current economic climate that seems doubtful.

[via gizmodo]

We told you so a month ago Suri - Burberry all the way...

Out with Mummy, Katie Holmes at the Rockefeller Centre in NYC yesterday, little Suri Cruise was clearly thrilled to see the Christmas lights. We were there this time last year and it is truly a beautiful (albeit cold) time of year to visit New York. We mentioned that Suri might be interested in a Burberry poncho in an earlier post and she must have taken notes - here she wears their Fur Trimmed Parka, along with the beautiful Bonpoint Brown Check Dress. With thanks to our friends at Suri Cruise Fashion Blog, Suri also wears Grey Patent Shoes by Polder
Source:

A slight difference of opinion

My mate in Sydney just saw this girl in a restaurant.If you're a bloke, you're probably thinking something along the lines of "That is a pretty girl." Maybe something more, whatever, but at least you'll probably recognise that she's pretty.
If you're a girl (and I've tested this many times), your response is something like
"Bitch skank whore SLUT!"
Sometimes, girls appear incapable of separating their personal feelings about a woman from their eyes. Their optical sensors refuse to identify positive traits in someone they hate. There is no objectivity.

I just find it interesting.

I used to mention her name in the office and within 0.000241 seconds I was immediately assaulted with cries of "Horrible bitchslut!" from the all girls within 10m. Yes, I'll admit, it was quite fun.

For the record, my mate said in person she was "absolutely gorgeous". And he made eye contact with her. Yep, he's stoked.