Forget the interior of your home, how is the interior of your heart?

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May 30, 2015

From adolescence, I remember being taught that our heart was Jesus’s home and it was a home that had many rooms. Some rooms were open for Jesus to enter, and others were not because we closed the door for a reason. It was either too painful, too hard or ignorance in thinking Jesus wouldn’t be interested in dwelling in that room.

As a young’un, the way I visualized my heart and it’s many rooms was the way I compartmentalized my life. There was the family section, the school section, the friend section, the things I like to do by myself section and a church section. Now, I have plenty of rooms and subsections of sections. My heart is a mansion and a replica of the house that Jack built or rather the house that Bec built.

I have so many rooms and I’m not sure if Jesus has been in every single one of them. Or he has and he’s wondering on the stability of that new extension. I’m wondering whether I need to downgrade the house because I feel like there is so much going on in my life.

And really there isn’t a lot going on in my life. Other than I have three young kids that keep me on my toes all day long, writing work that keeps me busy at night and bits and pieces in between like paying bills and cleaning the house that have started to become more of a drain than a joy.

On Monday I had a bit of a bleh moment where I wanted to connect with readers on Facebook but I was at a loss as to what to share. What was the point of sharing another pretty picture? Why are we so driven by the beautiful? Why are we so keen to show off beautifully styled parts of our home when in reality, if you have little kids, the décor doesn’t stay that way for long? Is it really to inspire, or is it to show off our spectacular styling skills?

Can I admit I am not so great at styling homes? Our house is a collective mish mash of trends. We have African décor that was purchased on our trip to Uganda over 10 years ago which has seen better days. The poor elephants no longer have ears and the tusks have been lost so we insert toothpicks in the holes to replicate what was there. Get a piece of that #Kmarthacks.

Don’t get me wrong, I love interiors. I enjoy watching renovating shows and seeing the final outcome but how often do I stop and focus on the interior of my heart and soul?

How is the décor fairing in my heart? Is everything neat and tidy as it should be in my heart or am I an utter complete mess and in need of a declutter because too much has been hoarded from the world?

I love a clean home, but I really want a pure heart. A heart that is steadfast and patient. If Jesus was to walk through each room of my heart, I’d want him to feel love as opposed to seeing a framed quote saying ‘Love Lives Here’ (and just a small plug for Kirsten from Kirsten and Co who made this gorgeous print which you can order for yourself here). While each room doesn’t necessarily have to be tidy, it needs to be open for Jesus to enter and to do his work and I think out of ignorance, there are some rooms that are closed because it’s just too hard. I’m too busy.

When I should be dwelling on readings from the Bible, I’m scrolling through Facebook to see what other bloggers are up to. My excuse is it’s part of my job to keep up-to-date with what’s going online.

When I should be praying and sharing my concerns to God, I’m reading blogs and checking out Instagram and admitting the same excuses again.

I know what I ought to do, but I don’t do it because life is busy and I’m easily distracted. There’s not enough time to fit everything in so God gets squeezed out. And usually He is in the undercurrent of everything I do, I want to have specific block times with Him but it hasn’t happened. Just like those Date Nights.

I know that I’m in a hard season of life. I know the time will change where it will be easy to carve out an hour to spend with God but then again, I’ve heard it gets harder as the kids are older because there’s after school activities, homework, friendship issues that take over your mind with worry.

Last Tuesday night I went to a women’s connect group and it was fabulous. I was apprehensive about going because my night times are specifically for writing work and doing my blog because that’s the only time I have kid free to focus on it. So to lose a whole night to go to a bible study was a big call. But it was a good one.

Making a decision to clean the interior of my heart happens by making smalls steps and saying yes to the things that will help with the declutter and add value by replacing that clutter with wisdom.

Life is busy and an organized and stylish home can do wonders for a sane state of mind but what lives inside that interior is what really matters. I want a happy heart and I don’t want to be defined by what I own, but rather what I’ve sown.

How is the interior of your heart? Do you get like me and focus too much on worldly stuff rather than what really matters in life?

“By wisdom a house is built, and through understanding it is established; through knowledge its rooms are filled with rare and beautiful treasures.” NIV version Proverbs 24:3

8 ways a plumber can be considerate to their client

By

Rebecca Senyard

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May 27, 2015

13

This post has been written in collaboration with Ryobi

Receiving a phone call to arrange a visit to a new client was always a thrill for me. It meant dad and I had new business and we had the opportunity to impress and hopefully gain a loyal client to our business. Keeping clients is not just about showing up and fixing a problem. Satisfied customers become loyal customers when their expectations are met and the service is considerate to them and their home. Here are 8 ways a plumber can be considerate to their client should they wish to receive repeat business.

1. Use battery tools like Ryobi instead of electric to save the client on their electricity bill. Of course there are some tools that will need to be run off a lead or a battery tool may need to be recharged if the battery is run dead on the job. But don’t rock up to a client’s house with tools that have a flat battery. Be prepared and charge all batteries at home at night to ensure the tools can be used straight away onsite.

2. Ask questions and be organized. When a new client rings to organise a call out, ask them what they need fixing and be specific with your questions. If they need a new mixer tap ask what kind they have already and bring a new mixer with you (ie some have vegetable mixers or gooseneck spout mixers). Make sure the mixer you bring is mid-range in price and quality. A home owner won’t give you repeat business if you charge them for a $400 mixer which they had no option to choose. An alternative is getting the client to purchase a new mixer before you arrive.

3. Ring before you arrive to a job so the homeowner knows when to expect you. If you’re going to be late or miss the call out altogether call and rearrange a time. The biggest frustration clients have with using a plumber is having them not show up or at least calling to say they will be late.

4. Give clients the opportunity to pay you using their credit card. Having a mobile credit card reader with you is a convenient way for clients to pay you. Alternatively, you can offer a paypal service. Paypal accepts credit card, but just be aware of the fees to use such a service. Include these fees in your call out fee, don’t add it onto the bill.

5. Don’t wear boots into a client’s home. It doesn’t matter if the boots are clean, take them off and leave them at the door.

6. Use a mat or towel to lay tools on when you’re working in the bathroom or kitchen. Tools placed on benchtops are notorious for scratching benchtops. Prevent being held responsible for a benchtop replacement by using a towel to lay tools on.

7. Bring your own cleaning utensils and products to clean up after a job. It’s more convenient for you to have your own dust pan and broom than to ask a client to use theirs.

8. Don’t swear. Plumbers can give sailors a run for their money with their colourful language. Some clients may not even blink with the odd swear word but it’s best to avoid saying them altogether in case they do get offended. Telling a new client their hot water unit needs to be replaced is much more considerate than telling them their hot water unit is f*#$ed!

Have you ever had a considerate plumber arrive at your home? And if you’re a plumber, how do you look after your clients? Anything you can add to the list?

This post has been written in conjunction with my disclosure policy.

How to fit 3 car seats across the back seat: Safety 1st Custodian Plus II Convertible Booster Seat Review & Giveaway

By

Rebecca Senyard

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May 26, 2015

32

Disclaimer: I was sent two Safety 1st Custodian Plus II Convertible Booster Seats for this review. All opinions are my own.

When we were preparing for Esther’s arrival, I remember when it came to choosing a car seat I wanted a Safe and Sound car seat because that’s what I had when I was little and I wanted the comfiest looking seat on the market. I wanted the best we could afford for our daughter.

After we purchased the car seat that could be used from 0 to 4 years old, the car seat ruling changed and children had to be in a booster seat until they were 8 years old. Around that time seats that could accommodate children from 6 months to 8 years old came into the market.

When we were preparing for Phoebe’s arrival, our third daughter, we had to find a bigger car and one that could fit 3 seats across.

I didn’t realise how big a problem it is to find a car that will fit 3 car seats neatly across. We looked at Honda, Nissan, Hyundai and Toyota. The Nissan Pathfinder was the best at easily fitting all three of our bulky car seats across. The Toyota Kluger came second. I preferred Toyota over Nissan after my experience driving Dad’s ute and my Toyota Yaris in my apprentice days. We came to the realization that those bulky comfy car seats were no longer an option if we were wanting to fit 3 car seats across.

In January, I headed to my local Pram Warehouse store to purchase a new car seat for Phoebe as she had outgrown the capsule and was over 6 months old. Due to the boxing day sales, Pram Warehouse sold out of ALL of their car seats and their new stock wasn’t going to be available until Mid February.

I was advised to purchase the Safety 1^st Custodian Plus II Convertible Booster Seat because it was the narrowest of the booster car seats on the market.

How to fit 3 car seats across the back seat

Instead of buying Phoebe a new car seat, we transferred her into the first car seat we bought for Esther and upgraded Esther and Magdalene into a Custodian Plus II Convertible Booster seat each.

The seats are narrow but they don’t compromise on comfort or safety. You can check out this video outlining all the features in the chair.

The winning details for me are its ability to grow with my children until they are 8 and their ease of fitting comfortably in the back seat of our car.

The Kluger has an odd back seat set up as the middle seat is quite narrow and can be removed and replaced with an inner console, so getting the seats to sit straight was a struggle when the capsule was installed because capsules do take extra room. (despite the Safety 1^st capsule being one of the narrowest on the market).

The Custodian Plus II Convertible Booster Seat can be bought for $279 which is pretty reasonable as I’ve paid upwards from $300. There are videos online that outline the features of the seat and how it can be installed.

The exciting part of this review is Dorel would like to give one of The Plumbette’s readers a Custodian Plus II Convertible Booster seat to try for themselves.

In order to enter the giveaway you must enter via the widget, making sure you like the Safety 1^st Facebook Page, Go Ask Mum Facebook page (where I regularly write) and The Plumbette Facebook page.

And then answer the question in 50 words or less… Name one feature about the Custodian Plus II Convertible Booster Seat that you love and why. Be interesting and creative with your answer.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

I’m linking up with Essentially Jess for IBOT.

Terms and Conditions

1.This is a game of skill. Each valid entry to be judged on creativity and originality, not by chance.

2. There is one prize: 1 Safety 1st Custodian Plus II Convertible Booster Seat.

3. Entries open from 12am Brisbane time Tuesday 26th May 2015 12am to Friday 5th June 2015 12pm Brisbane Time.

4.Prize is not transferable or changeable

5. Prize sent out by Dorel will not be replaced in the event it is stolen, lost or damaged in transit or virtually.

6.Entry is via leaving a comment with a picture or sending the picture via email to answer the question.

7. A valid email address must be included in your entry.

8.Entry into any giveaway or competition is deemed acceptance of these Terms and Conditions

9.Entrants must be Australian residents and aged 18 or over

10. The winner will be notified by email and has 3 days to reply and claim the prize. The winner will also be announced on Facebook. This giveaway is not endorsed by Facebook.

11. The decision on the winner is final and no dialogue will be entered into otherwise.

12. These terms and conditions are subject to change at any time without notice.

9 months in, 10 months out

By

Rebecca Senyard

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May 21, 2015

24

Phoebe turned 10 months last week. She’s been out longer than she was in which is bizarre because didn’t I just have her? It feels like I gave birth a long time ago. So much life has been lived since her birth and there are so many exciting seasons ahead.

You often worry how a new sibling will fit in with the family. I remember having friends and bloggers comment on how a third child changes the dynamic in the family. I shouldn’t have worried with Phoebe. If anything, she’s added a new dimension to our family that we didn’t realise was missing. Esther and Magdalene have really started to enjoy interacting with Phoebe now that she’s active. And I love watching when they laugh together.

But life is incredibly busy. The first 6 months with Phoebe were easy compared to now. I’ve struggled to keep on top of housework, blogging work and there are times where the relentless neediness of my girls wears me down. It’s taken a lot of self-discipline to be present with the girls during the day and then to focus on my writing at night. I know I’m not the only mum that works from home or out of home and struggles with the juggle of work and caring for little kids. I’m grateful that I’m young and healthy to be able to do what I do.

This week I’ve been convicted of being too busy and tight with my schedule. I’ve had some interesting interactions in the last couple of weeks that have prompted me to be less achievement driven and more fluid in noticing how to help other people. For example, when buying cards at my local newsagent a week ago, an elderly man asked me to read the message in a card that he wanted to purchase for his wife. He’d left his glasses at home and wanted to get a special card that contained the right words on how he felt about his wife who was celebrating her 80^th Birthday. He picked up a card with the longest poem, but rather than feel put out, I was able to help him in a practical way. Even Esther and Magdalene stopped to listen as I read the love rhyme.

Yesterday when I bought sushi for lunch, the lady behind the counter asked me if Magdalene talked much because she had a daughter that was similar in age and had hardly uttered any words. I had the wisdom to stop and encourage her to take her daughter to a speech pathologist if she was really worried about her daughter’s speech.

Taking time to notice people and assist them is one of life’s greatest blessings. Every one is carrying a burden and a smile or ear to listen is the best gift you can give a stranger.

If I kept my gaze on what I had to do on those days, I would have missed the opportunity to help these people. And helping them felt good. Not in proud, aren’t I great way, but in a genuine, I’m really glad you considered me to help you kind of way.

There are days where I wonder if I’ve missed something or anything. The days are flying fast and I’m trying to treasure each moment with Phoebe because she is growing at a rapid rate. I remember when I put Magdalene in this car and got a photo like this one when she was a similar age.

Life is good but each day there is a parenting struggle. At the moment it’s time. I feel like there aren’t enough hours in the day, but when it comes to 5pm I wish the time would go faster.

How is life for you at the moment? Been convicted of anything lately?

I’m linking up with With Some Grace for FYBF.

A Sweet Nursery

By

Rebecca Senyard

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May 19, 2015

46

When we finished Phoebe’s nursery I had good intentions of sharing the photos with you but life has been busy and it’s been one of those posts that have sat in the back of my mind. Until now.

All three of our girls have slept in the nursery or the room that has been configured to be a nursery. When it came time for Phoebe to sleep in the room, I wanted to give it a bit of a make-over. Each of our girls have their own room, so Phoebe will stay in the nursery as she grows up. I wanted a sweet nursery so chose a sugary theme as I knew it would be a room she could grow to love as she gets older.

We decided to paint a grey feature wall. Magdalene has the same coloured wall in her room. I will share her room in the future too. The paint is British Paints and the colour was Silver Treasure. Quite fitting for our girls I think.

Essentially I didn’t want to have to buy new cot linen because I already had linen and the cot is only used for such a short amount of time. It would be a waste to buy more. Instead I opted to buy cushions and a baby blanket from Coco and Cru. The raspberry cross blanket will make a great throw on Phoebe’s bed when she’s older.

I sourced the cushions from Baby Donkie. The vintage square cushion was bought from a handmade market. The cushions don’t sit in the cot. They are put away in the bookshelf, but these will be part of the décor on Phoebe’s big girl bed.

The ice cream and ice block prints came from Toucan online and the YOU ARE SO LOVED print is from Little Me Little You.

We bought the chest of drawers from Ikea when I was pregnant with Esther. They’ve stayed in the same spot since Esther was born. We bought the Ikea Expedit bookcase when we moved Magdalene to her big girl bed and room. The toys are items I’ve collected for Phoebe and we gave them to her for Christmas. The ice block tray and ice cream parfait wooded toys were bought off Ebay. The lamp was given to me by my brother who works in a lighting store. You can read more about my shelf style on Middle Aged Mama.

The donut decal stickers are my favourite part of the room. They are a fabric decal sticker and are by Jimmy Cricket. I got them from Baby Donkie.

Some tips when designing a nursery

Stick to a simple colour palette. Add colour in the form of bed linen, toys and décor pieces.
Buying décor items for the nursery can be expensive. Use Christmas and Birthdays to buy pieces for the room.
Follow interior designers on Instagram for inspiration. My favourite children’s interior designer is Petite Vintage Interiors.
Wait for sales when purchasing décor pieces. Some online stores allow you to create a wish list. Sign up to the online shop’s newsletter and pounce when they have a store sale. Every item in Phoebe’s room had some sort of sale attached to it.
Don’t forget Ebay if you’re looking for sweet vintage wooden toys.
Decorate in a way that can grow with your child. This not only saves money, but allows your baby to feel comfortable in a space they’ve grown to accept and love as their own.
Block out curtains are a must. Spotlight has a great range.
Work out ways you can use items that you already have – for example the cot linen.
Use a chest of drawers to double up as a change table.

I’m happy with how Phoebe’s room has turned out and it’s the most relaxing room to walk in because it’s always neat and tidy. I’m not sure how long that will last, now that Phoebe is on the move.

When was the last time you decorated a room? Do your kids have their own room and how did you decorate them?

I’m linking up with Essentially Jess for IBOT.

Builders Aren’t Designers

By

Rebecca Senyard

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May 15, 2015

29

Builders aren’t designers and designers aren’t builders. Let’s discuss why both occupations are necessary to your new build and/or renovation.

Am I the only one who thinks Channel 9 is trying to cash in on traffic from House Rules? It baffled me why two TV channels would air two renovating shows at the same time. Why couldn’t Channel 9 be fair and let Channel 7 get good viewing for their show House Rules?

I think it’s a bit cheeky that Channel 9 has produced a new show using previous House Rules contestants to make Reno Rumble and air it at the same time as Channel 7’s House Rules. It’s greedy. But that’s TV and life.

I usually watch the reveals when it comes to renovating shows because I can’t stand the antics of the teams or the bitchiness. Highly stressful renovations can bring out the worst in people and I don’t think it makes for good TV.

Anyway, last week I did get caught watching an episode of Reno Rumble thinking the reveals would be on that night but they weren’t. I kept watching and found it interesting to see how well the The Block contestants (red team) worked much better together than the previous House Rules contestants (blue team).

I caught onto the drama between Carly and the builder Aiden about the choice of chandelier in the main bathroom.

The brief was to create a contemporary coastal home for the client and Carly chose a shell chandelier for the bathroom which I personally thought looked tacky and so did the builder Aiden. He told Leighton (Carly’s husband) what he thought of the chandelier and Carly became furious. I’m not sure if it was because of the timeframe or whether it was because she didn’t appreciate the builder’s opinion, but one thing I have learned as a tradie, is to listen to your builder and take their advice seriously.

One of the contestants said builders aren’t designers and I agree to an extent.

Builders know what can and can’t be done. Often they will be more practical than style focused, BUT, you need to give them credit for bringing up an issue if they think an alternative could be better.

Plumbers aren’t designers either, but we can tell you if what you want done can work or not. There were times when a client would tell us where they wanted their bathroom or kitchen and we would have to do a design and construct. The more experienced a plumber or builder, the more on the ball they are in regards to design.

Of course, they won’t necessarily be able to forecast a new trend but they can recommend trends that are current.

So the next time you visualize a design and get your builder to build it, listen to their advice and don’t go on the offence if they make a suggestion.

In the end the second chandelier Carly purchased worked better in the bathroom and was well received by the judges. It’s important to meet a brief and try something new, but it’s also good to be level headed and listen to other suggestions.

Our Family Friendly Luxurious Getaway to Byron Bay Hinterland

By

Rebecca Senyard

-

May 12, 2015

42

Family Friendly Luxurious Getaway to Byron Bay Hinterland

On Saturday morning we headed to Byron Bay hinterland for a 2 night getaway to celebrate our 10 year wedding anniversary. It was to be a family friendly luxurious getaway as the kids had to come with us too.

After the events leading up to our anniversary, we made a level headed decision to not do anything spectacular.

But then funds came in and after some reasoning we realized we didn’t want to look back and not have anything to remember a significant number milestone in our marriage so I went about researching somewhere we could take the kids but also indulge ourselves.

It took a bit of research. I wanted to go somewhere with a view, a spa and farm stay like activities for the kids. The BlueGreen House in Byron Bay hinterland ticked all those boxes. It had a 3 night minimum stay, but we could only afford to take 2 nights and the owners willingly allowed us to stay for a shorter time frame. We wish we could have spent an extra night or two on the property. It was that amazing.

The pictures speak for themselves on how beautiful this property is. It was voted as 1 of Australia’s 100 Great Holiday homes by Australia Traveller. We had this luxurious house to ourselves. The master bedroom had a spa, outdoor shower and stunning ensuite. The girls slept downstairs in a fabulous bunk bedroom. Esther and Magdalene slept at each end of the bottom bunk. Phoebe slept in the same room in a portacot which we eventually moved to our room at midnight to ensure all kids got sleep.

There was plenty to do on the property. We got to feed the alpacas and horses. The girls loved seeing the chickens and just generally being in the open space. On our second afternoon, we made use of the sports field, and on our walk back to the house found this secluded swing.

What amazed me was how quiet it was. The views were spectacular. And I had no phone reception which forced me to focus on our surroundings and each other.

If we wanted to bunk ourselves at the house, we could. But we wanted to take the girls out to Byron Bay and surrounds for the day so on Sunday we started our day at Lennox Head and visited the markets. The weather was spectacular. From there we drove up to the lighthouse at Byron Bay. We had to pay $7 to park at the top which I was happy to do to avoid having to drive back down and park and walk back up the hill with a pram in tow. Our lighthouse expedition was short lived because it was under construction and the view only interested our girls for a short amount of time. After that we headed to the main street of Byron Bay for lunch.

In the last year or so I have read about other bloggers visiting Byron Bay and talking up it’s appeal for shopping. I found this strange because from my experience, Byron Bay was a bit of a hit and miss shopping experience. Jacob grew up in Northern NSW so when we would go to visit family, we would sometimes venture to Byron Bay. Back then I was never really impressed with the main street for shopping. And I felt the same this time as well. The main street is a mish mash of restaurants, cafes, mixed clothes stores and it has a really touristy/hippie/alternative vibe. While I would never make fun of the people that live in Byron Bay, for me the main street doesn’t do anything for me.

Bangalow on the other hand was definitely more my cup of tea and I wished we had spent a bit more time there. We dropped in on the way home, but it definitely is a charming street and we’ve made a note to visit there next time we head down south.

Whenever I organise a holiday with our girls, I try not to have a big list of expectations. The one place we definitely wanted to check out was the award winning Harvest Café which I booked lunch for on the Saturday of our arrival. The food didn’t disappoint. After our meals we checked out a few shops in the street, finishing off at the Harvest Café Deli and appreciating it’s delicious selection of cheeses and deli produce.

Phoebe happily waiting for her sourdough bread

The weather couldn’t have been more perfect for our stay. It was warm during the day, but quite cool at night which meant we could make use of the fireplace.

Esther warming herself near the fire. — Esther warming herself near the fire

We had a memorable time away and got to have a luxurious hinterland experience. Esther has been asking when we can go back and we’re wanting to save some pennies to visit again.

Have you ever been to Byron Bay? Ever had to find a family friendly luxurious getaway to celebrate a milestone?

I’m linking with Essentially Jess for IBOT.

Turn your tap into a OneTouchTap – Review and Giveaway

By

Rebecca Senyard

-

May 8, 2015

21

Disclosure: I was given 1 of each type of OneTouchTap for this review

If you’re looking for a way to potentially save money on your water bills the OneTouchTap may be the device for you.

The OneTouchTap is a product I had never heard of before. It’s an aerator that you can install on any tap spout to turn it into tap that turns on and off with one touch.

In commercial plumbing, it is common to install sensor taps for medical rooms and public bathrooms to prevent the spread of bacteria and viruses, but they are a pricey tap if you choose to install one at home. And in most cases there is no need for such a tap at home.

One of the areas in the bathroom that accumulates bacteria are your tap handles. If you think about it, a person goes to the toilet, turns the tap handle on, washes their hands and then turns the tap handle off potentially spreading bacteria back onto the washed hands. And they may be swiping bacteria from other people’s hands too if the handles haven’t been cleaned previously.

While I think we can get a bit pedantic about cleanliness in our bathrooms, if you are looking for a way to minimize the spread of viruses, the OneTouchTap can assist with this.

It can also save water in the household which means smaller water bills. The One Touch Tap is great for dripping taps as it stops water from dripping down the drain at the end of the spout.

I have put together a video of how the OneTouchTap works. In the video I am showing the Automatic OneTouchTap that turns off after 2-10 seconds depending on how long you set it. The second aerator is the swivel OneTouchTap which is fabulous in the kitchen. The swivel allows the water to reach all areas of the bowl.

One thing to keep in mind when installing these aerators is the tap handles need to be kept on. You need to check that there are no leaks coming from your taps if they are left on. If you notice a leak, you will need to get it fixed or else you could have water damage and receive an expensive water bill which defeats the purpose of installing these aerators.

I installed the OneTouchTap in my bath spout purely because the aerator was already out of the spout. When I left my cold water tap on for so the aerator could control the flow, I noticed that I have a leak on the bottom of my bath spout which I wouldn’t have noticed if the taps were off. If I leave the taps on in the bath to use the OneTouchTap, I could potentially have a flood and a very high water bill.

I have been using my finger to turn the OneTouchTap on but you can use the back of your hand to stop the spread of viruses and bacteria. The water sprays around the nib that you need to touch to activate the spout.

The Automatic OneTouchTap would be great for powder rooms, or bathrooms where the basin is used for washing hands.

The swivel OneTouchTap is great for the kitchen or the laundry in high traffic areas.

It does take time to get used to the OneTouchTap and occasionally the spray on my hand can splatter water around the basin despite it being a soft flow aerator.

The aerators have won awards around the world for it’s unique design and application. You don’t need a plumber to install these either.

If a commercial property doesn’t have the budget to install a sensor tap, these aerators – especially the automatic ones would be a good compromise.

The best benefit of using these aerators is when you notice you have a dripping tap. You can have your taps turned off (or kept on) and the aerator will prevent drips until you replace the washers in the tap.

The OneTouchTap can be purchased online at Better Living Products.

Prices are $19.95 for the basic model and $29.95 for the 360 swivel action and $24.95 for the Auto-Off model.

Better Living Products have generously supplied some OneTouchTap sets to be given away to 3 readers of The Plumbette.

Each set includes

1 Basic OneTouchTap

1 360 Swivel Action OneTouchTap

1 Auto-Off OneTouchTap

It’s worth over $74RRP

In order to enter the giveaway use the Rafflecopter Widget and you must follow The Plumbette via social media or via subscribing to my newsletter. Please know the winners are chosen for the most creative answer and the widget makes entering the giveaway easier. This is not a random draw.

Please leave a comment telling me what you would do with the money you save on your water bills if you won the One Touch Tap?

The most interesting answer will win on of the packs.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Disclosure: I was gifted one set of each OneTouchTap for the purpose of this review. All opinions are my own. This post has been written in accordance with my disclosure policy.

I’m linking up with With Some Grace for Flog yo Blog Friday.

Terms and Conditions

1. This is a game of skill. Each valid entry to be judged on creativity and originality, not by chance.

2. There are three prizes. Each set includes 1 Basic OneTouchTap, 1 360 Swivel Action OneTouchTap, 1 Auto-Off OneTouchTap worth over $74RRP

3. Entries open from 12am Brisbane time Friday 8th May 2015 12am to Wednesday 20th May 2015 12am Brisbane Time.

4. Prize is not transferable or changeable

5. Prize sent out by The Plumbette will not be replaced in the event it is stolen, lost or damaged in transit or virtually.

6.Entry is via leaving a comment with a picture or sending the picture via email to answer the question.

7. A valid email address must be included in your entry.

8.Entry into any giveaway or competition is deemed acceptance of these Terms and Conditions

9.Entrants must be Australian residents and aged 18 or over

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I got caught

By

Rebecca Senyard

-

May 5, 2015

91

I’m no expert when it comes to blogging. I learn as I go. I’m happy to share what I know and what I don’t, I’m not afraid to ask, although these days I haven’t had much time to ask a lot. I need to make time for learning. When I’m told I’ve done something wrong, I will review what I’ve done and see if there is any validity in the statement. The week before Easter I saw there was no validity in being attacked, so I did something about it. But a little over a week ago I got a letter in the mail that I didn’t expect and it was a big wake up call to me and possibly to everyone who shares images on their blog.

I usually take my own pictures for my blog OR I buy them online OR I download free photos from a reputable site. It can be hard finding good photos for a plumbing blog.

A couple of years ago though I used 3 images that I linked back to the original source thinking I had done the right thing and I hadn’t. I received a letter from D & B on behalf of Getty Images demanding I pay nearly $4000 for using those 3 images without a license or paying for them.

I was shocked. I had done what other bloggers did at the time and even linked back to where I found the images but that was part of my downfall. I got caught. I used the three images as a top header in three of my blog posts over 2 years ago. I experienced a wave of emotions because it was a week out from our 10 year anniversary and we hadn’t organized anything special to celebrate, finances had been tight because of bills and well kids. This bill was not expected and I had my tail between my legs because for a short time after I had Magdalene, I followed what other bloggers did by copying a photo and using a link to show the source.

I deleted the images straight away but the letter stated that wasn’t enough and to prevent escalating the case in court because I had broken copyright laws, I would have to pay the demanded amount.

I created a Getty Images account to see if I was being charged correctly and I wasn’t. Two of the images were being charged with an extra $1000 on top and another had an extra $200 charge.

I decided to ring Getty and see if the situation could be amicably worked out. I knew I would have to pay something, but I wasn’t sure if I could negotiate. From past business experience, using a lawyer for such a small amount would cost me more in the long run.

After leaving three messages, I got a call back last week and after a lengthy discussion and a bit of waiting, I was told the best way to get out of the D & B case was to subscribe to one of their photo packages so that the money I was going to give them, wouldn’t be wasted over 3 illegally used images. The subscription came over $2500. It was an unexpected and massively high bill to pay, but it was better than paying $4000 and seeing it literally go down the drain. But just because this happened to me doesn’t mean it could be the same result for others.

As a result I now have a subscription where I can download 50 images a month for the next 12 months which is complete overkill for my blog. But the point isn’t necessarily how I amicably solved the issue. The greater point at hand is that this could happen to someone else.

If you’re sharing images on your blog that you haven’t paid for or taken yourself, then you are breaking copyright laws. Even if you link the image back to the original source.

If you want to use an image from another blogger, in most circumstances, that blogger will be happy for you to share their photo providing there is a link back to their blog post. For a blogger it means higher traffic, but if you take a photo from a news site, then you are potentially taking an income away from a photographer by not purchasing the picture.

I’m well and truly covered for the next 12 months in regards to sourcing images for my blog, but others may be innocently linking their photos without getting proper permission and it could result in receiving a nasty letter in the mail demanding money. And these bigger corporations have the money to press ahead.

If it can happen to a little blogger like me, it can happen to anyone.

On a slightly funnier or ironic note, while I was discussing my case with the consultant from Getty, we did have a chuckle when I realized the blog post with one of the unlicensed photos was about illegal plumbing. I was encouraging readers to use a licensed plumber, but in the process had used an unlicensed photo!

How do you source images for your blog? Do you take them yourself? Buy them? Download them for free?

I’m linking with Essentially Jess for IBOT.

Today is our 10 Year Wedding Anniversary

By

Rebecca Senyard

-

April 30, 2015

44

Today is our 10 year wedding anniversary. How did we get here? I remember envisioning what 10 years would look like but I’m not sure I would have imaged the life we are living now. This year has been busy, overwhelming and I have been stretched in a lot of ways.

This week has been distraught with heartbreak around the world. In the lead up to our wedding anniversary I have had things attack me out of the blue and the burden of dealing with a heavy heart as I contemplate tragedies that have happened around the world in recent days.

Funnily enough, in the lead up to our wedding, our family experienced a crisis of a different kind that burdened us and changed the scope of our family forever.

But weddings and anniversaries are moments of joy that we should celebrate in the midst of life’s devastations.

This post is meant to be happy because Jacob and I are celebrating our 10 year wedding anniversary ( 10 years! I still can’t believe it!) and to keep it real for you, we aren’t doing anything to celebrate it. Well nothing grand anyway.

Tonight we will probably get take out. We haven’t organized a dinner out because our go to babysitters were unavailable. And it’s hard organizing a weekend away for the two of us when I am still breastfeeding a baby. Every place I looked at booking is booked for Saturday night or isn’t quite what we are after. It’s probably a good weekend to stay in because of the rain that is meant to hit us this weekend.

I feel like we are slowly slipping into the ‘eh, it’s just an anniversary, another year married’ mode by not actively organizing anything but when your 10 years in, life is busy, chaotic and sometimes hard. But there is so much to be grateful for.

Our wedding day was beautiful. I didn’t care too much about what I looked like which seems crazy in this pinterest day and age. We put on an extravagant affair that fit in with our budget. As much as I was excited about our wedding day, what excited me more was the living together part. Moving into our little house that we purchased 9 months prior and settling in to make it home.

Signing the register — Signing the registry

In the last 10 years we’ve travelled a bit, I’ve had a major career change, we upgraded our house to accommodate a future family which we now have with our three precious girls. Esther, Magdalene and Phoebe. We’ve experienced the highs and lows like any family. But right now we are captaining this busy season of parenting little kids and trying to balance work to make ends meet and it’s a crazy, busy, yet blessed place to be.

Jacob and I now with more kigs, more debt and more love than ever.

I’m sure we will do something to celebrate our anniversary but the timing for this week and this weekend hasn’t worked.

Happy Wedding Anniversary darling Jacob. Life is so much more grander when you’re with me – especially when you’re home to help me chaperone the little ones. I love you forever. xx

How long have you been married? How do you celebrate your anniversary? What did you do for your 10 year anniversary?

The day I rang a hater

By

Rebecca Senyard

-

April 28, 2015

106

I wasn’t sure how to title this post because after my phone call I realized the person wasn’t a hater, just a passionate sugar free foodie.

It was before Easter and Esther’s kindy was putting on a morning tea to celebrate Easter. The kindy has a strict lunchbox policy. No packet food or baking or biscuits or lollies and chocolate. The sugar treats were a given. I expected that. But the no packet food like a packet of healtheries chips or even crackers were a no no and even my baking had to be fruit only and that surprised me. But we work with it.

Anyway, the Easter morning tea could include those ‘sometimes’ foods. So I went and baked some gluten free cupcakes from a packet mix because I thought it would be safe that everything in that packet would be gluten free to ensure one of Esther’s friends could have a treat at the morning tea. I don’t like to see kids miss out because of their food intolerances.

I took a picture of the bunny paw print cupcakes I’d put together – although one kid said they looked like ‘dog paw prints actually’, and uploaded the pic to Instagram.

And I got hammered by a follower about whether they were sugar free and ‘eww you used a packet mix’ and insinuated that I was killing the kids for providing them with sugar loaded chocolate cupcakes.

I was kind of shocked by the attack. I didn’t know this person and something I had done as fun and to be a blessing to the kids was trodden on with negativity.

I thought about the comment and left it there. And then I did something really crazy and clicked through to see the owner of the Instagram account and saw that it wasn’t a troll but in fact another blogger based in Brisbane.

Her blog site was attached to her Instagram profile so I clicked through and her mobile number was on the page and I thought, I might just call you to find out where that comment came from.

So I rang her.

And the response was less than welcoming. I had called at a bad time and was told to ring at another time.

So I did.

But I got her message bank and left a message asking to call back to discuss the need for the comment.

I didn’t expect a phone call, but I was called and I was told to get over it, it’s social media and she didn’t care what people thought of her comment.

The point of my call was to let her know I didn’t appreciate it. I wasn’t sure if there would be an apology but there was none of that.

Unfortunately this blogger was so blinded by the cause she couldn’t see that the comment left on my photo reflected on her as a person and as a business owner and blogger.

Disagreeing with each other is part of life. I’m not always right and I don’t expect people to have the same opinions as me but I don’t go out and attack someone if I don’t agree with what they’ve done.

I wished it stopped there but more comments were made on the photo and I had to nip it in the bud and resolve the conversation positively. I’m not one to leave a situation with a negative response so I tried to wrap up the conversation by blessing her with a sugar free Easter and reminding her (and everyone else following our heated conversation on Instagram) that the real reason we celebrate Easter is because of what Jesus did on the cross and it’s certainly not about the sugar. And then I may have been convicted of stirring an ants nest when by grace I should have known better.

There were a few lessons I took away from the day I rang a hater debacle:

If you leave a negative comment, you can be found and it can give a bad reflection on not only you as a person but your business.
Don’t be blinded by your own campaign. If you want to teach awareness about a lifestyle that can help others, live it and show people how to do it, rather than attack people when they do something that doesn’t align with your standards.
There is always a story behind a picture.
Always extend grace. Be the better person if under attack. There’s no point losing emotional energy over someone who doesn’t agree with you. Reply with positivity.

My call to action may not have been very Christian. It was probably a bit ballsy and I was told that what I had done was bordering harassment. Fair call. I didn’t mean to harass, but it was so easy to click through to find a number and I like to talk about things rather than have a tennis match of hate comments.

How do you react when someone attacks you or something you’ve shown on Facebook? Ever had to make a difficult phone call? Is there anything that can be done to prevent negativity online?

I’m linking up with Essentially Jess for IBOT.

Arc welding was not my strong point

By

Rebecca Senyard

-

April 27, 2015

0

This post has been sponsored by WIA

Over the last 50 years, plumbing practices have changed extensively in the way water pipes are plumbed into homes and commercial properties.

Fifty years ago Gal pipe was the most common used pipe for water, and then copper became popular around the mid 70’s to 80’s. The early 90’s saw the emergence of plastic pipe systems which fast became popular due to its cost to supply.

Copper is still seen as the most durable product for water pipes and many plumbers would argue it’s the best and would prefer it to be used in all plumbing applications because it is most widely used and therefore easily maintained. Many commercial buildings advise that all water services are to be done in copper because of its durability.

Welding copper is now becoming a forgotten skill now that crimped fittings have been introduced into the market. Even welding steel pipes is not as common these days. The only time I came across welding steel was during the first month of my training at Tafe. I also learned how to arc weld which didn’t come naturally to me because I was used to welding copper and both require a different technique.

Arc welding still has a place in steel fabrication. It’s also an important skill for plumbers to know to maintain existing steel pipes systems. Although the chances of me arc welding again are the same odds of me winning lotto. And if I’m honest, arc welding wasn’t my strong point when I was at Tafe.

Having said that, while it’s a good skill for a plumber to know, it’s important to have access to the right equipment. Welding Industries of Australia aka WIA has the best knowledge on what type of equipment is needed for your welding application. Even if you aren’t a plumber, if you need furniture or something unusual to be welded, WIA will know what you need.

Watching this video brought back memories from when I learned to arc weld. Spatter was a common term that described my steel welding results. I didn’t do so well with my steel welding but I think I would have got better with more practice. I tended to rush my welding which is easy to do.

I remember asking my teacher why we were learning how to arc weld when it would be a skill I’d never use again and he understood my viewpoint and said it was a necessary skill for plumbers to know. Good answer but it didn’t answer my question.

In hindsight, I didn’t mind welding, despite my frustration of not being able to always produce a solid bead. Although it’s not an experience I want to relive at Tafe again.

Have you ever learned something at Tafe or Uni that is specialized or an old fashioned skill? Have you ever welded? And if you have are you any good at arc welding?

This post has been written in accordance with my disclosure policy.

Too distracted to notice

By

Rebecca Senyard

-

April 24, 2015

38

This year my chosen word was notice. Bron from Maxabella Loves placed the challenge at the beginning of the year to choose a word and make it our focus for the year.

One quarter of the year has nearly gone and lately the only thing I’ve been noticing is my inability to keep up with the work I have invited into my life. The work has been necessary, but the pressure I have put myself under has not.

Can I admit that I’m still struggling with trying to feel less overwhelmed? I’m still trying to find my new normal.

Recently I had a moment where I was sitting in bed, thinking about how I went to Colour Conference over a month ago and I can not for the life of me tell you all the lessons I learned from the conference. My mind went blank as I tried to recall what I learned.

It’s a bit like this when I read my Bible at night too. I read it and then go to bed and the next morning I ask myself what did I read and what did I learn and I can’t recall what I read.

That word notice hasn’t been doing too well for me. I think I need to change it to focus.

Anyway, as I was sitting in bed trying to think about what I learned at Colour, I grabbed my bible and stared to read about how Peter disowned Jesus 3 times.

I always thought Peter was such a dork. At the last supper before Jesus was seized and arrested, Jesus told Peter he would disown him three times. Peter denied that he would. But Jesus was adamant that before the rooster crowed twice that day, Peter would deny he knew Jesus.

As I read on, after Jesus had been arrested, Peter did in fact disown Jesus three times in public when a servant girl recognized him and accused him of following Jesus.

It’s a story I’ve read plenty of times but this time the story had a message for me and hopefully one that you can relate to too.

As I read the familiar passage I kept thinking how dumb Peter was to have been told by Jesus of something that he would do in the future. He had been with JESUS. He KNEW Jesus. Surely he could have been more prepared? Surely he loved Jesus enough to not disown him.

But it was when I read Peter’s reaction to realizing he had done what he denied he would do that showed me something I hadn’t thought of before. I realized the disciples were no different to me (or you) being distracted by the everyday pressures of life and succumbing to worldly distraction.

How many times have I gone to church, walked away with a new determination to focus on God and not my problems, to find myself crumble by Wednesday morning because my focus has been shifted yet again on my problems?

Yesterday I was shocked to have received something in the mail that I didn’t expect. It’s something I will have to work through but it couldn’t have come at a worse time as it’s our 10 year wedding anniversary next week and anything we were trying to scrape together to do will now have to be put on hold.

Anyway, back to that moment where I had my epiphany.

Once I realized the disciples were no different to me, I looked down at my pyjama pants. They had Alice in Wonderland print all over them. As I looked at Alice I remembered part of the Colour Conference that spoke to me.

The opening night of Colour had a dramatization of Alice in Wonderland. Alice was distracted by the world and influences around her and what she once knew as her purpose was blurred from the distractions around her.

In that moment I wasn’t distracted at all and I did notice what God was trying to tell me.

Stop being distracted. Get on with what needs to be done but with a Heavenly focus. The work is the same but the focus and pressure needs to shift.

I need to take time to rest and not feel guilty when I stop. I’m listening and taking actions to help me rest. I need to focus on what is lasting in my life and not what is temporal.

I will take notice.

Have you had an epiphany recently? What have you noticed lately?

I’m linking up with With Some Grace for Flog Yo Blog Friday

Back on the tools… for an hour

By

Rebecca Senyard

-

April 21, 2015

48

Last Monday I went back on the tools…. for an hour to do some plumbing maintenance at Esther’s kindy.

Despite the plumbing having passed inspections, a workplace health and safety check advised a potential hazard with a down pipe off one of the water tanks. The pipe was installed in a way that a child could step up on it and climb over the fence.

I’d highly doubt a kid would even think of climbing over this particular fence, but the issue had to be rectified once it was brought up.

Said down pipe had to be lower than the bottom rung of the fence. — Said down pipe was lowered underneath the bottom rung of the fence

At the same time the hose tap off a different water tank had to be replaced because the handle had broken off the existing one.

What worried me about that job was the tank was full of water and getting the new tap on would have to be done under pressure with water gushing out. I explained to the kindy teachers that if I were to replace the tap, the tank would probably get empty.

But I brought along the master (my dad) who was confident he could change the tap under pressure. I suggested putting a ball valve on before the hose tap so that if the tap had to be replaced again, it would be much easier to do so.

Dad suggested installing a slim line ball valve with the lever facing the ground so kids wouldn’t think to look underneath and play with it.

I took a video of dad replacing the tap and I had to laugh at our conversation in the background. I stopped the video promptly after he got up and looked at his crotch and sighed ‘It looks like I whizzed myself.’ Dad and I would always laugh and make fun of each other when we worked together. It was like old times… dad joking around and me rolling my eyes and agreeing with him. Had I done the job myself I wouldn’t have had the tap on hence why I asked dad who turned the tap on… but he knew what he was doing and proved that you can always learn something new on the job.

The jobs took an hour or so to do. As a result I was able to tick off one of my gardening jobs as part of helping with the Kindy this year. Thanks dad. 🙂

Dad said while he enjoyed working with me, he didn’t miss being back on the tools. He also advised me his call out fee had doubled since he retired.

Have you ever worked alongside someone in your family? Could you ever work alongside someone in your family?

I’m linking up with Essentially Jess for IBOT.

Why you’re crazy not to nominate yourself for the Kidspot Voices of 2015

By

Rebecca Senyard

-

April 17, 2015

86

Last year my inclusion in the Kidspot Voices of 2014 Top 30 Personal and Parenting blogs was a surprise. I didn’t realise what an honour and achievement it was to be recognized in the top 100 blogs in Australia.

And I honestly believe others didn’t think my blog belonged in that top 100 either. You know why? Because when the announcement was made about which blogs made the top 100, many bloggers tweeted how their favourite blogger was in the top 30 and none of them mentioned me.

I felt like a fraud. I was a bit disheartened.

I read blogs from other bloggers writing about their disappointment of not making it into the top 100. And their disappointment was valid. I understood it. Blogging consistently over a long period of time is hard yakka. We all want to be recognized for the work we put into our blogs.

But when I read these blog posts about disappointment, it felt like another stab to my soul that I wasn’t meant to be in the top 100 and there were much better bloggers than me who should have been included.

After the hype of the announcement and my disappointment of others not recognising my inclusion I silently celebrated my nomination with my family. For me my nomination was the answer to my prayer of where I was to focus my ambitions after closing our family plumbing business to raise my little family.

I then prayed I’d make the top 5 because when I saw the prize of a writing contract I thought how cool would that be? A plumber writing for an online home interior publication? It sounded like the perfect job for me.

I didn’t make the top 5. In a way I kind of knew I wouldn’t make the top 5 and in hindsight I was thankful that I didn’t have the added pressure of writing posts for judging right before Phoebe’s birth. The top 5 well and truly deserved their top 5 status.

What I did do though is take advantage of the sponsor challenge posts that had opened up to me. I signed up to review and write about Olympus and Garnier. When the Healtheries opportunity came through I signed to do the challenge right on the deadline. The Olympus and Garnier posts were hard work. Trying to blog with a newborn baby during sleeps and between feeds was full on. The amount of work these posts took made me hesitate about doing the Healtheries challenges.

Thank goodness I agreed to take part in the challenge, because not only did I discover a new healthier snack food for my girls, I also won, which has been a huge blessing to my family and my blog.

The Kidspot Voices of 2014 Gala night is one of the highlights of my blogging career to date. I got to hang out with some fabulous bloggers and I did not expect to walk away with two awards. But I did. And you could too.

I read Em’s blog post about whether to nominate her blog to Kidspot Voices of 2015 and it was a great post because a lot of bloggers have been asking the same question. So I am going to answer it for you.

You’re crazy not to nominate yourself for Kidspot Voices of 2015.

The nominations and awards are not about the number of votes/nominations each blogger receives. It’s about putting forward your blog so it is included in the mix of blogs that are to be judged. You need just one nomination to be considered being placed in the top 100.

This year it’s not only blogs that can be nominated. Those that blog via social media are going to be included in the mix too. There may be a bigger pool of talent to judge, but it’s great that those who have developed a following online via their social media accounts can be recognized.

There’s no time like now to nominate your blog. Here is the link so you can make sure your blog is on the list to judge. Nominations close on the 27th April.

And while you nominate yourself, why not nominate another blog you love reading and EMAIL them to let them know. Receiving a comment or email from someone telling you they’ve nominated your blog is encouraging and always well appreciated.

I know my blog is in the pool to be judged because Jacob nominated me. And the reason he nominated me is because ‘he digs me and my words’. He’s a sweetheart and I dig him back.

It’s important to mention too that blogging is not about awards. It’s lovely to be recognized, but even better knowing your words are helping someone else. Your motivation for blogging should always come back to love.

What do you think about Kidspot Voices 2015? What’s stopping you from nominating your blog? What’s your ultimate blogging dream?

I’m linking up with With Some Grace for Flog yo blog Friday.

What to study after completing a plumbing apprenticeship

By

Rebecca Senyard

-

April 16, 2015

2

This post has been written in collaboration with Careers Australia

One thing I have learned since becoming an adult is you never stop learning. Which sounds like a silly statement to make, but I was naïve to think once I finished my Diploma in Marketing and various other certificates in Public Relations and Advertising when I was 18, I wouldn’t need to study anymore.

Four years later I started my plumbing apprenticeship to complete my certificate III in Plumbing and Drainage and in the last year of my apprenticeship I also studied a Diploma in Fashion Styling via correspondence.

Once a plumbing apprentice finishes their apprenticeship and the extra study required to get their open license, it’s always beneficial to do a business course as most plumbers will want to start their own plumbing business and they have little clue about running their own company.

Even if a plumber chooses to be a sub-contractor, they will still need to run themselves like a business.

With my experience, running a plumbing business is 30% what you know about plumbing and 70% business administration which sadly isn’t learned on the construction site nor through apprenticeship training.

The best courses to enroll after completing a plumbing apprenticeship would be Business Management and Marketing. These vocational courses will outline the basics of business administration and how to attract and maintain customers to your business.

It’s never been easier to study something new when Careers Australia offers over 70 courses in a variety of fields. There is always something new to study which can help you be marketable and valuable in the workplace.

Apprentices can often think finishing their apprenticeship is the last step, but in many ways it’s only the first step toward achieving a successful career as a plumber.

Other courses to think about when you’ve finished your plumbing apprenticeship are studying other trade courses like Building and Construction or Carpentary. Don’t underestimate the power these courses can give your skill base and business. How marketable could you be to builders and other clients if you could replace two tradies with one – installing cabinetry for a kitchen or bathroom and plumbing it in too.

I’ve always advised you need to zone in on your niche as a plumber and focus on your target market to be a success. Sure there are large plumbing businesses that target a number of different niches and markets but if you plan to run a small business or be a one-man-show, one niche maybe all that you can handle and properly manage with limited overheads.

These days I’ve been learning more about blogging and social media. I have no doubt that new courses will evolve on how to blog and manage social media which is a branch off the marketing stream. Most of what I have learned has come from buying E books, doing online courses, going to Problogger or pretty much winging it on my own. It would have been good to have had a course available 3 years ago that could have helped me with some basic blogging principles.

What courses have you studied over the years and if you’re an apprentice or a tradey, what courses have you studied to advance your career?

This post has been written in accordance with my disclosure policy.

Annie Sloan Chalk Paint Jewellery Box Makeover

By

Rebecca Senyard

-

April 14, 2015

22

Last week I read about the speculation that Kate Middleton is having a girl after ordering in pink paint samples from Annie Sloan Chalk Paint.

Interestingly I received two pots of the shades of paint the Duchess ordered in after attending the Annie Sloan Chalk Paint cocktail party event at Problogger last year.

At the event, I got to talk to other bloggers and get a run down on how to use the paint and I even got to make a bangle which sadly would not fit over my post-pregnancy puffed up hand.

Can I be honest and say I wasn’t initially happy with the colours in my sample bag? I did have orange and teal but I placed my bag down and while I was talking to other bloggers it was then given to another blogger. So I was left with Olive Green and Antoinette (pastel pink). But I didn’t want to make a fuss and the paint samples were an unexpected gift. When the cocktail party finished, I was able to get two more sample colours which were on display, Florence (a blue/green colour) and Henrietta (pastel purple colour).

What I received in my Sample Bag from Annie Sloan Chalk Paint cocktail party

Soon after the event, I went to work and gave a jewellery box that belonged to my mother a makeover. I had used the jewellery box myself growing up and Esther had taken a liking to it.

But it really needed an update. The wood was a bit outdated and chipped and I really wanted it to be displayed nicely in Esther’s room.

My mother's jewellery box — My mother’s jewellery box

Before it was painted... — Before it was painted…

I am not really in DIY makeovers when it comes to furniture. I like to watch it on tv or in demonstrations but I am unlikely to do it myself. However, in this instance, I was willing to give it a go. Especially after learning how easy the application process was. I decided to paint the box in Antoinette.

Annie Sloan Chalk Paint doesn’t require a base coat. It can be simply painted on with no prep work which appeals to my ‘get in and get it done’ approach to work.

I gave the jewellery box two coats of paint. I used a baby wipe to clean any excess off the handles. I even painted the revolting metallic material on top of the jewellery box because you can use this paint on fabric. You can paint pretty much anything with Annie Sloan Chalk Paint.

After the two coats of paint, I gave it one coat of wax to seal and the jewellery box was finished. It now sits pride in place in Esther’s room and holds a bounty full of plastic beaded jewellery.

Annie Sloan Chalk Paint is available at home ware stores. For a stockist in your area, check out the Annie Sloan webpage.

Those paint colours that I didn’t like so much are now a valuable colour to own.

Have you ever used Annie Sloan Chalk Paint? When was the last time you did a DIY make-over?

Disclosure: I received 4 sample pots of paint, 2 waxes and 1 paint brush as part of the Annie Sloan Chalk Paint cocktail party I attended last year in August. All opinions are my own. This post has been written in accordance to my disclosure policy.

I’m linking up with Essentially Jess for IBOT.

The Block Triple Threat Kitchen Reveals

By

Rebecca Senyard

-

April 13, 2015

2

The heat was on on The Block Triple Threat Kitchen Reveals last night. It would have to have been the most highly anticipated reveals this week due to all the drama around teams changing the location of their kitchens from the original design. As a viewer, it’s hard to see why the teams make these decisions. Hopefully once the apartments are completed we will understand why certain changes were made. Let’s check out what was revealed this week.

Josh and Charlotte’s kitchen wasn’t amazing, but it was functional and modern. It was very white and as you can see from the pictures, the white is a bright white. The double inset sinks and square gooseneck spout weren’t mind blowing. As a mum and a plumber I don’t like island benches with the sink in them. Even if there are dishwasher’s underneath and no matter how neat you are, the bench will never be clean of dirty dishes. The judges thought the kitchen felt a bit like a cell and while I wouldn’t use that wording, I did think the kitchen was a bit pokey and didn’t like that there was just a wall in front of the kitchen bench. It feels too boxed in for me. The added wooden bench to the island bench didn’t have the wow factor either. Overall the kitchen as it’s been described online, is subtle. It’s a kitchen that will be more suited to a couple that like to eat out a lot which is a shame with two ovens installed.

Josh & Charlotte's Kitchen — Josh & Charlotte’s Kitchen

Josh and Charlotte's Kitchen — Josh and Charlotte’s Kitchen: Bench view

Tim and Anastasia’s kitchen was shaped as an L. It had a simple black and white theme. I loved how the windows opened to the terrace off the kitchen bench. I agreed with Darren about the drip tray for the sink which is a functionality issue Tim and Anastasia will need to address. A double sink is much more practical than one large sink in my opinion. The black gooseneck spout mixer was trendy but I do wonder how long it will stand the distance in a kitchen. It was described by the judges as spacious, but when looking towards the back of the kitchen, it seams to look quite narrow in that space and I’d fear being claustrophobic making my toast down there. There was nothing WOW in the kitchen but that might change once the terrace is finished.

Tim & Anastasia's kitchen — Tim & Anastasia’s kitchen

Tim & Anastasia's kitchen corner — Tim & Anastasia’s kitchen corner

Jess & Ayden’s kitchen design was my second favourite out of the four but I was glad they won. I liked the timber wall encasing the fridge. I liked the colours that they chose as opposed to stark white cupboards like their other teams had chosen. The sink was again in the island bench and it was one large sink but it did have a drainer but I’m not sure how that works if you have a tub full of water? The judges discussed the ramifications of moving the kitchen to where it is as it’s directly across from the terrace. I could see their point but Neale pointed out that kitchens are now becoming the new living space. I also think that if you entertain a lot, having the kitchen close to the outdoor entertaining area would be handy.

The final kitchen to be judged was Dea and Daz’s which a lot of us blockaholics were looking forward to watching the fireworks from the judges. I really liked Dea and Daz’s kitchen and I thought it was styled beautifully. It was my favourite kitchen from the ones presented. I didn’t mind the feature tiles in the splashback which were originally used in their main bathroom. I loved the bench top with the slight gold smear in the pattern. I thought that was different. I didn’t like the goal posts that greeted the judges when they walked into the kitchen. The goal posts are actually supporting the beams enclosed in the ceiling so they can’t be removed. The judges argued the beams could have been hidden had the kitchen stayed where it was drawn on the plan. Personally, I like the way the kitchen has been presented. I will be interested to see as the apartment gets finished, how it’s placement flows with the rest of the design. I’m also interested to see what the real estate agents say tomorrow night when they give feedback about whether buyers will love it. From a plumbing point of view, I love that the sink is to the side and again it’s a large sink as opposed to a double sink so it must be an in thing to use the big sink for rinsing dishes and then placing them straight into the dishwasher.

Dea & Daz's Kitchen — Dea & Daz’s Kitchen

Dea & Daz's Splashback close up — Dea & Daz’s kitchen with goal posts

Dea & Daz's Kitchen long view — Dea & Daz’s Kitchen long view

After all the commotion from the judges last night about changing the design from what the engineers/architects had drawn up, I thought I’d add a comment or two from my tradie background. Engineers and architects are important when designing new builds or renovations because they will design in a way to ensure the renovation process goes smoothly. They are meant to design to prevent variations. But architects don’t always get it right. Some don’t even visit site to check whether what they’ve drawn can be installed. Hydraulic engineers would be the worst for us plumbers in the commercial side of construction. They’d draw a plan for the plumbers to quote on and then when it would come time to do the install, the work couldn’t be done which would incur variations the poor client would have to pay for simply because the hydraulic engineer didn’t do their job and check onsite in the first place.

With regards to The Block, don’t get sucked into the drama of what you see. Most architects have little idea what is concealed in ceilings and behind walls. I think the issue with the changing of the rooms has more to do with the tight deadlines of trying to get each room finished as opposed to the service locations. But that’s just my theory, so don’t count on it like concrete.

Over to you, which kitchen impressed you the most? What did you think of the judges comments? Do you think Dea and Daz are wrong for changing their kitchen position?

Your dreams aren’t just about you

By

Rebecca Senyard

-

April 10, 2015

29

I have had a few epiphanies lately. Despite being overwhelmed with family life and work opportunities, I’ve had a few messages that have helped me get some perspective on the everyday going ons of what I do.

Today I wanted to talk about dreams. Dreams are important and everyone has them. Some dreams are hard to uncover or are yet to be discovered. Some dreams are lifelong and need constant striving to achieve them. Some dreams change. And yet others do eventually get fulfilled.

What is the point of dreams?

From a Christian perspective dreams give purpose and are often crafted in your heart the moment you were created. As children we would dream all the time about everything and anything. The possibilities were endless, the risks weren’t really considered.

When I think about most of my dreams as a child, I would dream about helping people. Most of my dreams were career based. I wanted to be a teacher, then a nurse, then an astronaut. Actually that one had a selfish incentive of wanting to know what it would be like to float around in a space ship.

I’ve heard the quote you weren’t made to do anything, you were made to do something. Which is true. We were all created to do something. But the more I read about the dreams of others and even the way I see my dreams, the focus seems to be on what I want to achieve and how I want to satisfy a personal need.

What if our dreams were made for so much more than that?

Your dreams aren’t just about you.

Those dreams that are in your heart are there to help others.

Others need your dream to help them sleep at night.

That dream may fulfill a purpose in your life, but it actually may fill a need in someone else’s.

Maybe you’re a female tradie and are wanting to start your own business. Starting your own business not only offers an alternative service to the market, it also offers an equal opportunity prospective job to another female tradie.

How many people do we encounter giving terrible service because they are just ‘doing’ a job. If we live in freedom, there is no excuse not to chase our dreams for the sole purpose of being a difference in the world.

But dreams do take time, sacrifice, money and energy and sometimes you have to do jobs that pay the bills while you work away at your dreams. Give your best attitude to the job at hand while you work towards your dreams. You never know who you encounter while doing them. I also believe a bad attitude shortens your life and your ability to travel the distance it may take to achieve your dreams.

If you have a good attitude when doing the mucky jobs, you are setting yourself up with a good foundation for when you do start living your dream.

It's a dream being a mum to these gorgeous girls and in turn I hope I inspire them to work towards whatever dreams are in their heart. — It’s a dream being a mum to these gorgeous girls and in turn I hope I inspire them to work towards whatever dreams are in their heart.

What about the selfish dreams of owning a nice car? Paying off a house? Owning a designer handbag? Those selfish dreams matter too. You don’t know who you’re helping by purchasing an expensive item. You never know who you may entertain in that dream house. That designer handbag maybe a splurge, but it may inspire others to work harder towards their dreams so they too can afford such a purchase too. Those with too much to spend may inspire others on how not to live too.

It’s time to look at dreams and this life that we enjoy a little differently.

What have you been dreaming about lately? Are you living your dream? Have you ever seen a dream come to fruition?

I’m linking up with With Some Grace for Flog Yo Blog Friday.

Essential baby equipment to keep mum sane and baby safe Part III – Safety 1st Rhombus Giveaway

By

Rebecca Senyard

-

April 7, 2015

19

It’s not until you have kids that you realize how much mess they can make. That’s been one of the biggest surprises to my journey into motherhood. Having little kids that create havoc in our fairly organized home. I didn’t realize how important having a clean and tidy home was to me until I had my girls. The more children you add to your brood, the more mess they seem to make. And it’s not just in one room… it can be in many rooms. Here is a glimpse of the girls rooms and the mess that happens on a near daily basis in our house.

Our living room – this photo was a couple of months ago

Most days I leave the mess until night time and get Esther and Maggie to help me put the toys away. I’ve been slowly teaching them to put toys away after they have played with them and sometimes it computes, but most times it doesn’t.

Now that Phoebe is crawling I’ve had to be on my game to make sure little toys aren’t within her reach. Sometimes I want her to be in the one place where I can see her. When I need to check my emails on the computer, I need a place for her where she can safely play and be entertained for 5 minutes or so. Enter the Safety 1st Rhombus Play Pen/Portacot.

The Rhombus has been a blessing to me since starting freelance work from home. We already owned a rectangular portacot which we take travelling with us, but the Rhombus is an octagonal portacot that can be used as a play pen and also for sleeping too.

At the moment I have balls placed in the Rhombus and my girls have a ball of a time in there (pardon the pun!). It’s as exciting as an indoor playcentre but without the conjunctivitis.

Phoebe in her Safety 1st Rhombus which I've used as a playpen — Phoebe in her Safety 1st Rhombus which I’ve used as a playpen

Even the older two enjoy playing in the Rhombus. It means they have fun without messing the rest of our house!

I have the Rhombus set up next to my desk and it’s fantastic if I need to check some emails. Phoebe loves sitting next to me in the Rhombus. She’s happy to play there for a few minutes while I respond to emails when Maggie is asleep and Esther is at Kindy.

Despite Bentley being a wonderful dog around our girls, the Rhombus is fantastic for keeping kids protected from pets.

The Rhombus has definitely helped my sanity this year.

As promised, Safety 1st has decided to give another mum (or dad) their sanity back by giving away a Rhombus worth $229.00. In order to be in the running, please enter the Rafflecopter widget ( You must like The Plumbette and Safety 1st Facebook pages) and leave a comment with a photo of a mess your child has created OR a mess that you haven’t been able to tackle because of pregnancy or motherhood. (Hello, I so understand!) The messiest and most interestingly creative response will win the Rhombus. You can share your picture via Instagram too. Be sure to tag @theplumbette and use the hashtag #plumbettesafety1st so I can find your entry.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Disclosure: I was gifted a Safety 1^st Rhombus for the review. All opinions are my own. This post has been written in accordance with my disclosure policy.

I’m linking up with Essentially Jess for IBOT.

Terms and Conditions

1.This is a game of skill. Each valid entry to be judged on creativity and originality, not by chance.

2. There is one prize: 1 Safety 1st Rhombus worth $229.

3. Entries open from 12am Brisbane time Tuesday 7th April 2015 12am to Friday 17th April 2015 12am Brisbane Time.

4.Prize is not transferable or changeable

5. Prize sent out by Dorel will not be replaced in the event it is stolen, lost or damaged in transit or virtually.

6.Entry is via leaving a comment with a picture or sending the picture via email to answer the question.

7. A valid email address must be included in your entry.

8.Entry into any giveaway or competition is deemed acceptance of these Terms and Conditions

9.Entrants must be Australian residents and aged 18 or over

10. The winner will be notified by email and has 3 days to reply and claim the prize. The winner will also be announced on Facebook. This giveaway is not endorsed by Facebook.

11. The decision on the winner is final and no dialogue will be entered into otherwise.

12. These terms and conditions are subject to change at any time without notice.

The perfect life

By

Rebecca Senyard

-

April 4, 2015

7

Good Friday and Easter Sunday are pinnacle days on the Christian calendar. For us as a family, we went to church yesterday morning and on Sunday night we will be heading to the RICC (RNA showgrounds) for our Easter Sunday service. If you live in Brisbane, you are most welcome to come. (Here are the details for times.)We don’t go to church because it’s a good thing to do on a long weekend. We go because we want to celebrate the hope that Jesus’ death on a cross brought about over 2000 years ago.

If I put myself in God’s shoes, I wonder if I would have the strength to put my own flesh and blood to death to save the lives of many?

That question alone is an uncomfortable one to read. If you are unbelieving, there are many questions around the Christian faith.

The most important and often asked question is why did Jesus have to die on a cross? And what does that have to do personally for me?

It all leads back to the beginning of time when Adam and Eve were created and they lived PERFECT lives. Can you imagine a perfect world?

If we just stopped for a moment and thought about the perfect life. What would it look like to you? How would you always feel?

For me, the perfect life would be to not have any struggles, pain, fear, guilt and not being stretched to my limit… the list goes on. It would be to live a life full of love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness and faith.

In the perfect life there would be no sickness, no death, no murders, no rape, no terrorism, no fighting, no cancer, no weeping, no depression, no anxiety, no trolls, no hate mail, no negativity, no sarcasm, no judging, no bigotry, no racism, no adultery, no stealing, no assaults, no abuse, no violence, no impatience, no hunger, no poverty, no busyness, no impatience and most important of all no shame.

And yet we live in a world that is full of all this and more.

No wonder life can suck. The world is heavy with darkness. Can you feel it and can you see it?

But it wasn’t like that at the beginning.

When Adam and Eve were created they lived PERFECT lives. Again I ask can you imagine such a world?

But there was one rule – not to eat of a certain tree in the garden. I believe it was placed there because in every relationship there has to be trust. If there is no trust, there is no relationship. God didn’t create Adam and Eve to be His own Barbie dolls that he could twist and turn. He actually created humans so he could have a relationship with them. To admire their creativity. To delight in their existence. Just like a mum and dad delight in their beautiful baby. God wants that relationship with us. But it can’t be forced. This is what He felt when he made the first humans and He still loves each and every human like this no matter what they have done.

Unfortunately the trust was broken because a fallen angel (who wanted to be just like God), made it his mission to hurt God in the most painful way by creating a divide between man and God. He tempted Eve with the fruit from the tree telling her she would become just like God if she ate the fruit. She ate some and shared it with Adam, both knowing full well where the fruit had come from.

The moment that fruit was eaten, the trust between God and man was broken. It had severe consequences. Just like in a relationship. If trust is broken, the relationship often ceases or it’s at least never the same again.

But God sent himself as a man, called Jesus who walked on the Earth for approximately 33 years and was executed in the most cruelest way – hung on a cross where he suffered for over 6 hours and died an excruciatingly painful death.

When you read the four testimony accounts of the crucifixion of Jesus in Matthew, Mark, Luke and John, there are many characters who witnessed the crucifixion.

There were the religious leaders, the chief priests and leaders of the law who accused Jesus of blasphemy and wanted to see him hung because Jesus challenged their ideas and thinking.

There were those closest to Jesus who didn’t understand what was going on despite Jesus prophesying his death the years leading up to the event.

There were the thieves who were being crucified next to Jesus. One criticizing Jesus “if you are really God, save yourself and us.” Yet the other thief understood that Jesus didn’t deserve to be on the cross, and rebuked the other thief, and then asking Jesus to remember him in the afterlife.

There were fights all around until the end.

But in the end God did win, and as a result of Jesus dying on the cross, the resurrection Sunday has a personal and significant meaning that a life of trust that was broken back in the garden of Eden was restored on a tree on a hill.

It takes faith to believe what was recorded in the Bible. Faith to believe that there is a God. Faith that each of us were created by God for a relationship with Him. Faith that Jesus was God’s son and his death did happen over 2000 years ago.

Why do I have faith in God and in this story? Because I’ve had my own personal revelation of Jesus. I’ve also danced around with the devil and have realized his desire is not for my wellbeing.

You see the devil takes delight when there is sickness, death, murders, rape, terrorism, fighting, cancer, weeping, depression, anxiety, trolling, hate mail, negativity, sarcasm, judging, bigotry, racism, adultery, stealing, assaults, abuse, violence, impatience, hunger, poverty, busyness, and most important of all shame.

I don’t want to be anywhere near someone who delights in wrong and hate. Who would?

Interestingly the devil believes in Jesus. If he didn’t he wouldn’t be so hell bent on destroying lives. Sadly God is blamed for the pain we see in the world. It’s the devil’s ultimate deception.

So that cross all those years ago, was not about some freak who was killed on a cross. That man, Jesus, was in damage control, taking the weight of all the world, so that our relationship with God could not only be restored, but that perfect life we were created for could in fact become a reality in the afterlife. Jesus lived a perfect life while on earth and it was that perfection that was needed to be sacrificed to complete the restoration.

And so I end this post not to convince you of Jesus existence or that there is a God. The evidence is already there if you want to seek it.

My heart in writing this deep post is to encourage you to really work out what you believe. And make sure you seek after truth in the right place.

I crave that perfect life. A life where that intimacy with God is not interrupted with what the world deems as important and necessary. I wasn’t created to live defeated. Neither were you.

I hope you have the most blessed Easter.

Is Problogger really worth the money?

By

Rebecca Senyard

-

March 31, 2015

96

I went to my first Problogger Conference in 2013. It was a pinnacle year in my blogging journey because I learned that there was much more to blogging than just writing a post and sharing it on Facebook.

For a full year and a half I had no comments on my blog. Part of the reason was because I didn’t have a comment section on each post and the other part of the reason was I didn’t think people would want to comment on my posts and I was scared of what someone would write.

It was early in 2013 that I learned what a linky party was (and for those that don’t know it’s when a blogger allows other bloggers to link a post to their blog and the etiquette is for those bloggers to read the posts uploaded by other bloggers.) They confused me and I found it odd to read ‘I’m linking up with Essentially Jess for IBOT’ at the bottom of someone’s blog post. I didn’t know what IBOT meant. It wasn’t until I clicked on the link to Essentially Jess that I worked out ‘ahuh’ this is how I connect with other bloggers and get more readers to my blog. Well one way at least without having to pay for advertising through Facebook.

At that stage the only people that read my blog was my mum and a handful of church friends. But once I networked with Essentially Jess bloggers, my readership started to grow. I then learned about the blogging conferences held during the year and made a note to keep my eye open for tickets when they would be released. Nikki from Styling You couldn’t talk more highly of Problogger so I was keen to attend because of her recommendation.

When it was announced that Problogger was going to be held on the Gold Coast back in 2013 I purchased a ticket the day they were released. It was a lot of money for me, a blogger who was making no income whatsoever from my blog. I wanted to learn if there was a way to monetize my blog so that it would cover hosting costs and anything over would be a bonus.

Since 2013, I have been to every Problogger event that has been held in QLD. The most recent event was held in the city at the beginning of this month and it was hands down one of my favourite sessions to attend. For great recaps on what was shared at the Problogger Day event head to Middle Aged Mama and Write of the Middle.

In a nutshell the conference gave examples of bloggers who make a full time income with a small following online.

I didn't realize how many blogs were online! — I didn’t realize how many blogs were online!

So many bloggers get caught up with their readership figures and to an extent they are what is needed to get a higher sponsorship or advertising rate, but there are plenty examples of bloggers who have a small following but have worked out ways to carve out a full time income from what they do.

It was refreshing to hear this because I used to get caught up with the numbers. My readership figures were quite small when I was offered (and accepted) my first Sponsored Post and so I thought I was doing this whole blogging gig wrong.

In the scheme of the blogging world my readership is small but I’ve only been blogging for three years and I am particular about the readership I want to attract to my page. The reason I share my faith on my blog (apart from it being important to me) is because I am specific about the type of readership I want on my blog. I only have to look at some of the comments on big following Facebook pages like Plumbing Porn and Crap plumbing to see they aren’t the readers or at least comments that I want on my page. My blog is an Open Home but if you enter, there is an etiquette that needs to be maintained in this space.

So in a long rounded post, the question I ask is this: Is Problogger really worth the money?

I bought my ticket to attend again in August and there are still 100 or so tickets left for purchase.

I believe Problogger is worth the money specifically for the networking and being inspired to keep writing online. It is the only event in Australia where you get a mixed bag of bloggers in the one venue. I see it as my personal development training for my blog.

Me, Renee from Mummy Wife Me and Dannielle from Zamamabakes

The reason networking is so important at Problogger is because once you meet someone in the flesh and see who they really are, you are more inclined to interact with them online and even share their posts from time to time. Since attending Problogger the income stream from my blog has grown, and the networking with other bloggers has lead to freelance writing opportunities I never would have received had I not gone to Problogger.

The conference is also a great atmosphere to be inspired. The main speakers are always relatable and their advice is always encouraging.

Even if you don’t want to make an income from your blog, Problogger Conference is a great way to open your eyes to the world of blogging. I have no doubt that if you don’t have a blog, you will be itching to start one after you have attended the event.

But here is some other advice. You may not be able to afford to go or you have decided not to attend because you have decided to put your money towards other training opportunities. There is this FOMO (fear of missing out) from some bloggers and I say try not to feel like you are missing out. Problogger will be on every year (hopefully) and going to every event is not be feasible. If the event moves down south, I will be debating on whether I will attend purely because of the cost of flights and accommodation. I’m still looking at being $1000 out of pocket after going to this year’s event but I know it will help my blog and it’s a lot of fun.

I have to come back this year anyway so everyone can see how much Phoebe has grown from last year. Most bloggers were interested in her than me last year. She was my drawcard.

If you are interested in purchasing tickets head here. This is certainly not a sponsored post. I’m just sharing what I know.

Have you ever been to Problogger? Are you going this year? When did you go to your first Problogger Event?

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Essential baby equipment to keep mum sane and baby safe Part III – Safety 1st Rhombus Giveaway

The perfect life

Is Problogger really worth the money?

Rebecca Senyard

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