Essential Baby Equipment to keep mum sane and baby safe part II + Lumbar High Chair Giveaway

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March 27, 2015

Before I had children and made any announcements of being pregnant, my grandparents offered me baby items that held a lot of history for our family. One of the items was a gorgeous high chair that could be converted into a rocking chair.

The chair was made by my great grandfather and many generations had used it including me as a toddler. The chair had been painted over a few times over the years and Jacob went about removing the paint to reveal the wood grain underneath.

But he never got to completely finish the project because it was a big job and before we knew it we had Esther and thinking we had all the time in the world when she would arrive, we assumed we could get it ready for when she would start eating. Well when you have a baby, you have little time and the time you do have goes fast so we needed to use the chair despite it not being finished.

I couldn’t use the chair until Esther was at least 1 year old because of the big gap between the tray and her lap. She could have easily slipped through the space under the table and one day I found her hanging on for dear life because she wanted to escape out of the chair. There is a reason why baby products need to meet a safety code!

When I had Magdalene I persevered with the chair by feeding her in the bumbo when she was 6 months, and then when her thighs got too chubby to fit or she’d lean back wanting to get out, I would use our rocking chair which meant her legs would kick my arm, flicking food off the spoon. She still sits in the above chair for feeding because she fits quite easily still in it. Feeding time was a little frustrating in the beginning though because I tried to make our heirloom high chair work and it was more of a nuisance than a blessing.

Earlier this year I was gifted a Safety 1^st Lumbar chair from Dorel Australia and it has solved all my feeding issues in one go. Phoebe has loved it. I have loved it and I wish I hadn’t persevered as long as I did without it.

The key winners with this chair for me is a few things.

Firstly the tray can be brought forward towards your baby’s tummy which prevents less spilled food on the front of their outfit. Honestly, squashed up, dribble soaked food is such a gross discovery to find when you eventually take them out of their high chair.

The chair comes with a mess mat that is cleanable which prevents messing your floors.

The tray has a liner that can be removed and can fit into the dishwasher for cleaning.

It’s a comfy high chair and Phoebe enjoys it whenever she’s in the chair.

But it’s not just a great chair for feeding. It can be a great chair for activities too. I’ve found the in between crawling stage or even when they are crawling hard to find an activity where they will just sit and play. Put them in the high chair with some toys for a change and they will love it.

If you want to read about the features of the chair, you can have a look here.

For the fun part, I’m giving away 1 Safety 1^st Lumbar chair and all you have to do is enter via Rafflecopter. You must like the Facebook pages in the widget for a valid entry and answer this question in the comments: Why do you need this high chair and what activity/toy would you give your child to keep them entertained in the chair?

Please feel free to share the giveaway with other mums.

Don’t forget to enter last week’s giveaway for a 3-wheel Wanderer Stroller.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

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

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 Lumbar high chair worth $199.

3. Entries open from 12am Brisbane time Friday 27th March 2015 to Wednesday 8th 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 or sending an 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.

Ten ways to get more money for your home

By

Rebecca Senyard

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March 26, 2015

7

This post has been written in collaboration with Local Agent Finder

Five years ago Jacob and I sold our first home. We had lived in our first house for over 3 years and we made good money on the sale which allowed us to upgrade and purchase our current home. There were things we did to our first home that I believe helped us get the best price on our property. With that knowledge and my tradie background, I’ve compiled a list of ten ways to get more money for your home.

1. Find a good real estate agent. We talked to four agents, including one that sold properties outside of our suburb. On this agent’s advice, he recommended we use a local agent because they would have more contacts of buyers wanting to purchase in our area. Using the Local Agent Finder would have helped us get an idea on all the available agents in our area and we could have compared their rate of commission which would make a difference in the amount of money we would get after the sale.

2. Update the front appearance of your property. We had unkept side gardens in our front yard so we got new plants and added some mulch to give the gardens a mini make over. We also painted the front pole near our front door as the paint had started to fade. We also replaced the fly screen on our front door. There were holes and rips in the previous one caused by our psycho puppy.

3. Declutter and create space. Inside our home we decluttered and made our house look bigger than normal by removing items that took space. We kept items like the crosstrainer in the garage. In the kitchen we put all appliances and utensils away. We took off all the magnets on our fridge to create a crisp looking kitchen.

4. Make spaces look new. In the bathroom, I thoroughly cleaned the shower screen doors. If you want to add value to your home, make the bathroom and kitchen look as clean and modern as possible. If you have frosted glass, replace it with clear. Silicone any areas that need to be re-sealed. Clean the grout and try and remove as much mould from the tiles as possible. If you can afford to replace the taps, then do so because it will make a big difference. Replace the toilet seat with a new one which is just a cosmetic update to the little room. If the toilet suite is cream, you may not be able to replace the seat or it will look odd.

5. Make walls neutral. Fix up holes in the walls and paint the walls a neutral white. This allows buyers to imagine what they can do with the space when there is a neutral background to work with.

6. Get rid of odour. Before you have an open home, make the home smell nice with essential oils. Baking cookies sounds like a homely touch, but if you haven’t cleaned your oven in a while, the baked smell may not be as inviting as you think. I remember using a rose and lavender oil because it is a universally recognized fragrance.

7. Allow as much light as possible into the home. Clean that skylight if there are bugs and dust in the viewing glass. Open the curtains and drapes to allow natural light flood into your home.

8. Fix up any areas that buyers may question. For example in our first home, the enamel started to come off the tiles in shower. I got my dad to replace those tiles so the shower looked as good as new.

9. If you have a pet, remove any evidence a pet lives in the home. Not everyone likes pets and seeing a pet bowl of food and water can deter buyers. Also pick up the poo from the yard. The smell and view is offputting to a potential buyer.

10. Know your figures. Work out the lowest offer you will accept. It can be risky not accepting the first offer, but in our situation it proved the best decision because it allowed the buyers to look elsewhere and then come back to our property because they knew it was the best on the market for what they were looking for. That risk paid off when they offered us more than their first offer.

Have you ever sold a house? Do you have any tips to add to my list?

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

Chocolate Mousse Copper Caps

By

Rebecca Senyard

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March 25, 2015

10

My chocolate mousse is one of the easiest and most delicious dessert recipes to make. I make it for friends and family a lot because it tastes sooo good. You can only have so much of it because it is rich.

But that’s the way I like my mousse. I’m a bit of a chocaholic fan so with Easter literally on our door step I couldn’t resist sharing my recipe with you. But with a plumbing twist. Excuse the photos. I didn’t realize how much I need photography lessons because some of them are out of focus.

Since copper is so on trend right now, I decided to serve my chocolate mousse in 80mm copper caps. The caps can be purchased from a plumbing retailer for $14-$17 each. I got my caps from Tradelink and Reece. Just beware that if you want 6, you may not be able to get them at the one store as 80mm isn’t a commonly used pipe size. I found the 80mm caps are the perfect serving size and when topped with whipped cream and copper dusted chocolate eggs, they look like a fabulous dessert to be served. To prevent the bottom of the mousse getting a metallic taste, melt chocolate and pour that at the bottom of the cap and allow that to set hard in the fridge before scooping the mousse in. I didn’t do this the first time around and didn’t notice the metallic taste until I was scraping the bottom of the cap.

Chocolate Mousse Copper Caps

Recipe Type: Dessert

Cuisine: Dessert

Author: Rebecca Senyard

Prep time: 20 mins

Cook time: 2 hours

Total time: 2 hours 20 mins

Serves: 10 Copper Caps

This delicious chocolate mousse will be a winner every time you serve it for dessert.

Ingredients

300ml Cream
1 Block of Dark Chocolate
3 Eggs
1/4 Cup Caster Sugar

Instructions

Break the dark chocolate into pieces and place in a microwavable jug for 30 second bursts until the chocolate is completely melted. Set this aside to cool down at room temperature.
Beat 3 eggs and the caster sugar on high for 5 minutes. You want to see the mixture double in consistency.
Whip the cream while the eggs and sugar are being beaten. I use my Tupperware device (no idea what it’s called) that whips my cream within 30 seconds. Any longer than this and the cream will be thick like butter which makes for a stiff mousse. I know this because I’ve done it before.
Slowly fold the cream into the egg and sugar mixture.
Mix in the melted chocolate, making sure to scrape the bottom of the bowl where the chocolate will sink and stick to.
Pour into the copper caps and use a spoon to level the mousse and then place in the fridge to set for 4 hours.
To make the chocolate eggs, I used a chocolate egg mould. I used Crisco which is a vegetable shortening to line the moulds, I then brushed the copper dust into the mould and poured the chocolate into the mould and placed it into the fridge. Once the chocolate is set, the eggs (or half eggs) will easily slide out and they can be used to decorate your mousse cups.

Notes

Refrigerate for 2 hours min – no cooking required[br]Thoroughly wash copper caps after being purchased from a plumbing store

Are you a chocaholic? What is your favourite dessert?

A natural way to eliminate smelly drains

By

Rebecca Senyard

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March 24, 2015

27

For the last month or so I have been trialing a product that prevents smells coming up through the floor waste.

Smelly drains are a common problem in all homes and I explain in this short video what could be causing the drain to smell.

In the past I have recommended using a chemical or jet rodding machine to flush out the sediment that builds up at the bottom of the floor trap. The only problem with this is that it doesn’t always get rid of the smell and it sometimes needs to be done a few times when the smell builds up over time. It’s not good for our sewer system to be polluted with chemicals.

Well now there is a product that can fix this problem.

EzyDrain is a natural way to eliminate smelly drains. It’s a device that is inserted into the floor waste that prevents the smell come through the grate.

EzyDrain combines the proven antibacterial qualities of colloidal silver with the simplicity of a spring loaded one-way trap mechanism.

The EzyDrain fitting doesn’t have to be installed by a plumber, but it is a great fitting for plumbers to have on the back of their truck should they need to assist a client with a smelly drain problem.

EzyDrain is available online and fits into 100mm and 90mm floor wastes. It can be used in the shower, but I was unable to install it into my shower waste due to concrete and water membrane material lining the inside of our shower waste pipe. EzyDrain does come with sandpaper to help with the fit of the fitting into the floor waste.

There are other benefits to using EzyDrain which include

Preventing suds rising from floor wastes – a common occurrence in laundries
Prevents water rising through the floor waste into your dwelling if the house is built near rivers or lakes
It’s suitable for indoor use
It prevents dropped items like jewellery going down the drain providing there’s not running water that will open the flap for the jewellery to run down into the floor waste.

I don’t recommend installing EzyDrain on wastes outside, despite being encouraged to do so in their pamphlet. The simple reason is, most grated drains outside are ORG’s which need to remain open so if the street’s sewer backs up, it overflows through the ORG and not into your home. If you install an EzyDrain fitting into your ORG the fitting will prevent the overflow outside and may force the sewerage through the next lowest opening in your home which could be a very nasty experience.

The EzyDrain fitting costs from $54.95 to $59.95 depending on the fitting that you require. If you are a tradesperson, enquire about their bulk deal discount.

So you can try this product for yourself, I have one set of three EzyDrain devices available to giveaway. Your floor wastes must be 100mm if you are going to use the type that I’m giving away. To be in the running to win please follow The Plumbette via Facebook or subscribe to my newsletter and tell me in 25 words or less why you need this device in your home. The prize is worth over $164.00.

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: 3 EzyDrain devices worth $164.85.

3.Entries open from 6am Brisbane time Tuesday 24th March to Tuesday 7th April 2015 6pm 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 or sending an 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

Disclosure: I was sent some EzyDrain products for the purpose of this review and giveaway. All opinions are my own.

I’m linking up with Essentially Jess for IBOT.

Ways to get ahead when you’re feeling behind

By

Rebecca Senyard

-

March 23, 2015

8

This post has been written in collaboration with Absolute Domestics

How long is your to do list? I have a few lists. One list is for projects that need immediate action, another is for what needs to be done this year and another is a bucket list of dreams that I want to achieve in no set amount of time. I need to refamiliarise myself with that list because at the moment I am focusing on the immediate attention list and it’s doing my head in.

Over the weekend I have been thinking of how I’m going to get on top of that to do list. It’s difficult to do when you have young children – especially a baby where you have little time to yourself. Sometimes it’s not simply about having more time to do things either. Sometimes it’s about being resourceful and thinking ahead. I loved Smaggle’s #futuremesaysthanks concept and with that I have put together a list of ways to get ahead when you’re feeling behind.

1. Work out when you work at your optimum. When you work at your optimum you are more efficient at getting work done. For me it’s first thing in the morning but because a certain baby likes to wake up at 5am or keep me up late at night, getting up at 4am is difficult. BUT if there are mornings where Phoebe sleeps longer (like yesterday morning), I make the most of it and will get up and get started on that list. When dad and I worked as plumbers, we preferred to put the difficult jobs first thing on a morning because we would have more energy to attack the job.

2. Outsource what you can afford. I find housecleaning takes up a couple hours of my time. Now that I am working, if I get more work I will invest in a cleaner like Absolute Domestics to help me keep on top of my to do list. The drawback of using a cleaner is often the cost but think of ways where it can be made affordable by only getting the cleaner in once a fortnight or hiring them to do those messy and put-to-the side jobs like cleaning the blinds or the oven. In business it could be outsourcing the bookkeeping or getting safety manuals done after a job is completed.

3. Make the most of unexpected quiet moments. Sometimes I am able to get Magdalene and Phoebe to have a nap at the same time when Esther is at Kindy which gives me an hour to look at my emails and respond to any queries. On the days that Esther is at home, if she and Maggie are playing quietly together and Phoebe is asleep I may be able to pay a bill or do something small on my to do list. On the days that work was quiet in our family business I would catch up on filing or do a stocktake of how much gear we had on hire. Sometimes I would negotiate a better deal on fittings that we would purchase all the time.

4. Batch your work together. Cook double dinners so that one night there is less time in the kitchen and less clean up afterwards which means more time getting work done at night. I batch write my blog posts and resizing images so I’m not logging into different sites online constantly which takes up valuable time. The same can be done for business. Do all the photocopying at once. Type all the letters in the one time.

5. Get a babysitter. Organise a family member or babysitter for an afternoon or a morning so you can dedicate some time to getting on top of that list. You may not get completely on top, but you would have made a start which does wonders to your mind. With our plumbing business, most plumbers don’t need babysitters, but having an offsider in business can really help carry the workload. Don’t underestimate how much difference your workload can be by employing an apprentice. Don’t think they are just there to be on the tools. Teach them how to do some of the business related stuff so they can hold the fort while you go on holidays.

Sometimes working on the weekend may be a necessity and the only time you can have a change of getting ahead. Just don’t make it a habit every weekend. Family time together is important.

The last tip is don’t pile more work on your to do list. Once you are ahead in certain area, don’t think that gives you permission to add more to your plate.

For me, being ahead as a mum with my work and blogging means that if we have a week of sickness or unexpected turn of events, I have a buffer to meet my deadlines.

What have you done to get yourself ahead? Do you outsource any of your to do list? If you’re a mum to older children does it get easier keeping on top of that list?

This post has been written in accordance with my Disclosure Policy.

The Block Triple Threat Ensuite Reveals

By

Rebecca Senyard

-

March 22, 2015

6

I always look forward to a bathroom week on The Block. It’s always interesting to see how the couples design their space and keep it in line with their style aesthetic in their apartment. This week was The Block Triple Threat Ensuite Reveals. Let’s take a look at the bathrooms these couples produced.

I immediately liked Josh and Charlotte’s ensuite. I’m a sucker for a wood vanity despite knowing how much effort is needed to keep it maintained. The black underside overmount basins were the perfect match for the floating wall vanity. The freestanding bath and execution of the textures and design certainly made this a winning ensuite. The Plantation Shutters were a super stylish touch too.

Josh & Charlotte's Ensuite — Josh & Charlotte’s ensuite

Josh and Charlotte's shower — Josh and Charlotte’s shower

Josh and Charlotte's vanity bench — Josh and Charlotte’s vanity bench

Tim and Anastasia’s ensuite was quite spacious and had a luxurious feel with the feature marble tiles. Unfortunately the sealant job wasn’t very good, but this can be easily fixed before auction day. If I’m honest, I hate silicone but it’s a necessary evil to conceal gaps. Just a tip when choosing sealants for a bathroom, always choose one that is anti-fungal or mould proof. This will ensure mould won’t grow in the sealant when it gets damp.

One of the overhead showers wasn’t straight either. That can also be fixed by giving it a bit of a nudge in the right direction. I’m still not a fan of the overhead shower, although when I went to Sydney, the hotel I stayed in had one and I was impressed with the water pressure,. So maybe these overhead shower roses aren’t too bad after all. Another criticism about the bathroom was the lack of vanity space and above counter storage. The indentation of the mirror into the wall could have been better used with concealed storage behind the mirror. Overall it was a lovely ensuite. The double shower was executed well. It’s a luxury. And a tv adds a 5 star touch to the ensuite.

Tim and Anastasia's TV in the ensuite — Tim and Anastasia’s TV in the ensuite

Tim and Anastasia's double ensuite shower — Tim and Anastasia’s double ensuite shower

As soon as I saw Jess & Ayden’s bathroom I loved it immediately. I just loved the boldness of each aspect they chose and designed. I quite liked the vanity cupboard that Ayden knocked up. I’m not sure about the wooden floor in the shower area. I just wonder what it will look like in a couple of years time?

The hexagonal floor tile was a great way to incorporate the style from the other bathrooms and living areas in the apartment. There was also a tv installed in the bathroom in front of the bath. Shaynna thought there were too many hero pieces in the ensuite competing for attention. While that may be the case, I still liked that there was something different to look at. Again the lack of vanity bench space was highlighted. That was just another reminder to always provide enough open storage in your bathroom.

Jess & Ayden's Ensuite — Jess & Ayden’s Ensuite

Jess & Ayden's free standing bath — Jess & Ayden’s free standing bath

Dea & Daz’s ensuite was simply stunning. I was a little confused when the judges gushed about how they loved the space and then started to nit pick at different aspects. I liked the tiled wall seat in the shower as well as the dark subway tile. I did wonder if the glass was enough to contain the water splashes when using the shower. And having the towel rack away from the entry into the shower wasn’t very smart but it fits with the layout of the bathroom. There was plenty of storage in the ensuite which will make it easy for storing towels and other bits and pieces that crowd the bottom of a vanity basin cupboard.

Dea and Daz's Ensuite vanity — Dea and Daz’s Ensuite vanity

Dea & Daz's ensuite storage — Dea & Daz’s ensuite storage

Which was your favourite ensuite and do you think the right team won?

Essential Baby Equipment to make mum sane and baby safe – Safety 1st Wanderer Stroller + Giveaway

By

Rebecca Senyard

-

March 20, 2015

54

While putting this post together, I had a trip down memory lane. I was scrolling through pictures of when we first brought Phoebe home from hospital. I look at her now and can’t believe that 8 months have passed since her birth.

As a result of the change in our family’s life in the last year or so, I am doing a series of posts on essential baby equipment to make mum sane and baby safe.

A month before I had Phoebe, I was invited to the Pregnancy, Babies and Kids Expo by Dorel Australia. Dorel were so generous to me, they gifted me with a Safety 1^st complete travel system. The travel system included the One Safe Infant Carrier and the Wanderer 3 Wheel Stroller.

I can honestly say it is one of the BEST travelling systems I have used. With Magdalene I used a Safe and Sound Unity Capsule with a Baby Jogger Elite pram and the bracket mechanism exasperated me because I could never get the capsule to sit right and poor Maggie would lie lopsided on the pram. It was 6 months of pram frustration.

The Safety 1^st travel system was no worries to put together. The capsule clicked into place with the Wanderer. Best of all, the bracket is included in the pram price.

In terms of width, the Safety 1^st One Safe Infant Carrier is one of the more narrow capsules on the market which makes it a great capsule if you are trying to fit 3 car seats across the back of the car like we had to. The only negative part about the capsule which actually turned out to be my error, was the tether strap. When not in use in the car, the tether strap would dangle over Phoebe’s head and lay on her tummy. I found out that it could be hooked at the back of the capsule when the sun canopy was off the capsule. We used the sun canopy all the time, so I would tuck the tether strap behind the cushioning of the seat to avoid having to take the canopy off and on. As per the manual it states to always hook the tether strap around the back of the capsule.

The Wanderer stroller is easy to use and has great features that make it a great pram for mums on the go. The capsule adaptors and accessories like the boot cover and rain cover are included with the stroller unlike other prams on the market where you have to purchase these separately. What won me over with this pram is it’s ability to have the seat changed from forward facing to rear facing. The seat is easy to click into place. When the seat is facing forward, the whole pram can be collapsed in one piece which means it’s great for travelling on planes or trying to fit into a small boot space of a car.

The canopy is extendable and has a mesh insert to allow air in for good ventilation. The basket underneath is a great size and has an enclosed zip section which is great for storing food or personal items.

The stroller doesn’t allow for a second seat for a sibling so it’s best suited for families with one child or a baby with older siblings that don’t require to sit in a pram.

The Wanderer has been a great pram for us at church. I’ve used it on many interstate trips where Phoebe is the only child traveling with us.

This was 1 week after birth. I look exhausted!

Using the stroller last weekend in Sydney

Phoebe has just been taken out of the capsule into a forward facing seat at 8 months. Despite the capsule saying it can be used up to 6 months, Phoebe was able to use it for much longer and she is longer on the scale average.

To check out all the features of the Safety 1^st travel system, head here.

Now the fun part.

Dorel has partnered with The Plumbette to give one of my readers a chance to win 1 item each week from the Safety 1^st Range. Today, the giveaway is for the Wanderer 3 Wheel Stroller. The subsequent weeks will include a giveaway for a portacot, high chair and car seat.

To be in the running, you just need to enter via Rafflecopter. You MUST like The Plumbette and Safety 1^st on Facebook and answer this question in the comments below: Which far away or exotic location would you travel to with this stroller and why?

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Disclosure: I was gifted a One Safe Infant Carrier and Wanderer 3 Wheel Stroller. All opinions are my own. This post has been written in accordance with my disclosure policy.

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 1^st Wanderer Stroller worth $499.

3. Entries open from 12am Brisbane time Friday 20th March 2015 to Wednesday 1^st 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 or sending an 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.

she wear boots and workwear for women tradies

By

Rebecca Senyard

-

March 17, 2015

9

Eight years ago when I started my plumbing apprenticeship I went on the hunt for women’s steel cap boots and lady tradie workwear. Unfortunately my search confirmed what I already knew that there was NOTHING for women. I used to joke with my family that one day I would design my own female steel capped shoes and I thought about designing workwear for women tradies but I was busy running a family business with dad, and I just didn’t think there would be a big enough market for that kind of gear.

Well how wrong was I?

Since becoming a mother, there have been all sorts of workwear and boots designed specifically for women tradies. I follow them all on Facebook and wish I could have had them at my disposal all those years ago. I would have looked the goods so much better!

I became aware of she wear when Alisa & Lysandra from The Block Fans vs Faves series wore them onsite. Unfortunately larger workboot manufacturers have knocked off the she wear idea to create their own lady tradie boots, trying to invade the boutique niche she wear provides for.

She wear opened their first she wear boots and workwear for women tradies store at the beginning of this month. I have been BUSTING to get there, even though it’s on the other side of town for me. It was well worth the trip as I was able to try on the workwear all in the one place.

She wear boots are designed by women and made for women. They are a proudly Australian owned and operated company and their boots are tested to comply with the tough australian/nz standards and certified by leading third party certification company, the bsi group. She wear do ship internationally. Obtain a quote online from the managing director Stacey and she will organize delivery for you.

When I went into the store yesterday it was hard for me to decide on a colour. My favourite colour is red, but I decided to go with the pink She Can style. I was able to talk to the store manager who advised they would be bringing in zip up/down boots. I’ll get a pair of red ones then (if red of course is launched – colours have yet to be confirmed). The sizing was just right for my feet. I have avoided buying boots during my pregnancies because my feet expand and have gone up half a size each time. Boots are an investment so I didn’t want to have various sizes just sitting in my wardrobe.

She Can boots in pink and bamboo stripe socks or compression socks — She Can boots in pink and bamboo stripe socks and compression socks

She’s Empowered (maternity hi-vis work wear) and Eve Workwear (tailor fit work wear for women) are stocked in the store too. I tried on Eve Workwear, but while the size 16 shirt fit me, the size 16 pants did not. The pants don’t cater for a curvaceous figure like mine. That might be something for the designers to think about with their line.

Eve Work wear on the left, and She's Empowered on the right — Eve Work wear on the left, and She’s Empowered on the right

This is what I purchased… Eve Workwear shirt in Khaki and She Can work boots.

The boots aren’t just for lady tradies. If you do a lot of renovating or work in a warehouse, these boots are the boots for you. Anywhere that safety compliant shoes need to be worn, she wear will cater for your needs.

The she wear store is located on 269 Earnshaw Road Northgate. The opening hours are Monday to Friday from 9am to 1pm. Appointments can be made outside of those hours if you are unable to visit at those times. You can also purchase she wear boots online. Follow their Facebook page for updates on new boots.

Would you benefit from a pair of she wear boots? Which colour is your favourite?

I’m linking up with Essentially Jess for IBOT.

It’s your turn to style a room with Super Amart

By

Rebecca Senyard

-

March 16, 2015

0

This post has been written in collaboration with Super Amart

Do you have a room in your home that desperately needs a make-over? If you watch The Block you may feel your whole house needs a make-over!

Can you remember how with the help of Super Amart I restyled our bedroom? You can check out the post Bedroom Make Over to see the before shot, but here is what our bedroom looks like now.

If you do have a room that needs a bit of TLC, it’s your turn to style a room with Super Amart.

Super Amart are running a share your style competition to win a $1700 shopping spree. Every month on the Super Amart website real living stylist Jackie Brown shares her tips on how to style your home using furniture and décor from Super Amart. Some or all of these tips will assist you in restyling a room in your home.

How to enter
1. Share a picture of a stylish look you have created using Super Amart furniture in your home.
2. Tell Super Amart in 50 words or less your tips for creating the look.
3. Add your details to the form on the Super Amart website.

Competition Starts: 12.00pm Australian Eastern Standard Time (“AEST”) Friday, 13 March 2015
Competion Ends: 1.00pm AEST Friday, 27 March 2015.
Winner Announced: Monday 30 March 2015.

If you need more inspiration why not check our Redcliffe Style’s Mini Living Room Makeover, Sonia Styling’s Outdoor Room Makeover or Style & Shenanigans Table Setting on a budget.

Which room in your home desperately needs a makeover?

This post has been written in conjunction with my disclosure policy. The Plumbette is not running this competition. It is being organized by Super Amart. Terms and conditions can be found on their website here.

A different type of normal

By

Rebecca Senyard

-

March 16, 2015

10

Sometimes it takes a weekend away to give you new perspective. As you know I have been struggling to give the best of me in all the roles I play. And from the comments and interactions on Facebook, I’m not the only one who finds it hard to maintain inner peace when so much is expected from us as working women and mothers.

But the guys can struggle a bit too, carrying the weight of a busy family life on their shoulders. I know my Jacob goes to work then comes home to a crabby wife who looks half dead because her three children have zapped all energy from her. He jumps in with helping with the feeding, bathing and putting our girls to sleep. And then once our girls are in bed, Jacob will clean up the kitchen while I head to my office to do my paid work for the day.

As a result of our ‘new’ routine, I have felt stretched, burdened and disconnected. And a small prompting in my heart has told me something has got to change.

But it’s normal. This is what working parents have to do to survive.

Well I’m not buying it and I want a different type of normal.

My calling is far greater than living day to day just making it through each 24 hour block that makes each week which makes each year. There’s more to life than just trying to make ends meet

The best news is your calling is more than what you do each day, each week and each year too. It’s time to stop thinking being busy and overworked and tired is normal. It’s not. It’s the devil’s way of keeping you distracted from what’s most important.

But how do you get off the merry-go-round or at least stop it from spinning so fast?

You can’t stop the merry-go-round but you can remain grounded and peaceful by focusing on what is important and standing strong when life becomes chaotic around you.

On the weekend, Mum, Phoebe and I headed down to Sydney to Hillsong’s women’s conference Colour.

We went last year (Phoebe was there too but in my tum) and it was spectacular. Every aspect of the conference was to inhibit a new perspective in women’s hearts. And this year’s conference did the same.

I realized this weekend that I have been striving and I haven’t been thriving. I’ve been using my own strength to deal with life, rather than centering my life on God’s truth and using His strength to do what I’ve got to do.

God knows we have busy lives and that much is expected from us to put food on the table and bring up our kids in stable home, but He doesn’t want us to be overwhelmed by our responsibilities.

As you know I don’t shy away from sharing my faith and my personal stories with you online. My prayer is always that what I share with you encourages you. For me personally, having faith is the easy part, but living it is often harder because I am easily distracted. Colour is the perfect distraction for overworked women. There was a message for every woman who attended Colour on the weekend and I got my message loud and clear on Thursday night when Bobbie Houston spoke.

There is no time for fluffy Christianity. We know that there is evil happening in all corners of the world. I believe arrogance and busyness and selfishness are our main downfalls when it comes to living a life that God has called us all to live.

And the message was not to abandon the responsibilities of life that we have invited into our lives, but it’s simply to do them with peace and joy in our heart. And to stop focusing on ourselves.

I believe being busy with an ungrateful, negative and always complaining heart is causing us to be naïve about faith and what really matters in life.

I got a lot out of the conference on the weekend and I want to share what I learned with you in the coming weeks. I wish I could have written down notes about what was said, but my arms were often full holding Phoebe, who by the way was amazing at the conference. I will need to recap over the sessions.

My arms were full with this one but she was a dream baby at the conference

But now, it’s a new week. The girls are up and Jacob has the day off so that we can spend time together catching up on what happened over the weekend.

If I could encourage you this morning, it’s to say that right now whatever struggles you have going on in your heart, God knows about them and he’s concerned by them too. Pray about them and ask for inner peace so you don’t feel so overburdened. If you don’t believe, why not send through an email to me so I can pray for you?

How was your weekend? What are you excited about this week?

Three Essential Power Tools All Plumbers Need

By

Rebecca Senyard

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March 11, 2015

2

This post has been written in collaboration with AEG Power Tools

If you’re looking for the three essential power tools all plumbers need, this post will guide you on what to invest in first.

When you start out as an apprentice plumber, purchasing tools is a big strain on the finances, especially when you are on apprentice wages.

As you progress through your apprenticeship, and earn more money, your tool kit will start to expand as will the expectation of doing bigger jobs. Power tools are the most expensive tools to purchase, so today I thought I’d share three essential power tools all plumbers need. Although plumbers aren’t the only tradies that require power tools, this list is useful for homeowners and tradies alike.

Three Essential Power Tools All Plumbers Need

1. Cordless Power Drill

A cordless power drill is essential and probably the first power tool you should purchase. Battery operated models mean you don’t require power when on site, but it does mean you need to be proactive in charging the batteries after use each day. Always keep the spare battery fully charged so you can easily change it after draining the first one. It’s also important to choose a power drill that will hold a ½ inch chuck so you can drill through the tit of a trap when installing dishwashers or using a hole saw. What’s a chuck? It’s the slot where the drill bit is inserted. You can get cordless drills from any local hardware store.

2. Hammer Drill

Hammer drills are used for drilling holes into concrete and masonry to install brackets to hold up water and waste pipes. A good quality, battery operated hammer drill is a must. When purchasing your hammer drill check the chuck size needed for the type of work you do onsite. Also check that it will drill through concrete with ease. You don’t want your hammer drill to sputter when drilling through hard materials. AEG have a range of hammer drills for different work applications.

3. Reciprocal Saw or Sabre Saw

Reciprocal saws also known commonly as Sabre Saws( pronounced saber) are great for cutting pipes in hard to reach places where there is not enough room to use a hack saw. They are also good for cutting through hard materials like gal, clay or copper pipes. Have a supply of different blades to cut through wood and metal to ensure you have the right blade for the job.

When you invest in these tools, you will be prepared for the work day ahead.

What essential power tools do you own and do you prefer corded or battery operated tools?

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

The Block Triple Threat Powder Room, Laundry and Cellar Reveals

By

Rebecca Senyard

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March 10, 2015

16

It was a big week on The Block for all four teams last week. The Block Triple Threat powder room, laundry and cellar reveals were again a mixed bag of good style choices and interesting design ideas. Let’s look at the powder rooms first – which is really just a glorified toilet with a vanity basin.

Josh & Charlotte’s powder room was simple and elegant. I loved the light tiles and for some reason I felt this room was styled better than their main bathroom despite using a similar tile. I liked the mixture of textures. A bottle trap is a great way to save space underneath the vanity. Usually there is no need for storage space in a powder room because it’s specifically for toilet visits and make-up touch up or hand washing purposes.

Shaynna brought up the issue with the vanity spout being too long for the basin width. This can be a common design problem that can be easily fixed by installing a shorter spout (if one is available). These kinds of issues don’t usually surface until install day but it’s always good practice to take measurements and ensure that what you have purchased will work onsite. On a side note I don’t mind the gunmetal colour in the tapware.

Tim & Anastasia’s powder room was luxurious and moody. I didn’t mind the dark tile they used but you have to be careful using darker colours in a small space because it can often make the room smaller than what it is. What worked in Tim & Anastasia’s favour with their tile choice, was their room was much bigger.

Jess & Ayden’s powder room was light and vibrant. I loved that they used their feature tile on one wall instead of all the walls. I think they may have learned that lesson with their enclosed toilet in the main bathroom. If you are wanting to have a vanity cupboard in the powder room, install a narrow style like Jess & Ayden’s. The styling was simple but I still liked it.

I loved Dea & Daz’s powder room. It’s the room I would go in just because. I loved the styling and it would be easy to replicate at home with the right placement of shelves. I loved the round mirror and how it complimented with the circular vanity basin. I also really like those hexagonal tiles. I don’t recommend using those types of tiles in a shower because they can be very difficult to clean and have a high ratio of grout where mould can grow.

When it comes to laundries, I am keen on practical over style. It’s not a place I want to hang out in, but it is a room I like to keep tidy so having benches, shelves and storage are important.

I liked the storage offered in all four laundries. Bench space is always a must and I think all four couples offered that in their spaces.

I thought it was comical that Shaynna was anal about a laundry chute. I think it’s a nice feature to have in a two or three storey apartment, but sometimes structurally, installing a chute may not work. From personal experience, we rarely used the chute when we lived in a double storey house. I guess it was just habit to bring the dirty clothes downstairs to the laundry, when we were heading down there already.

I thought it was interesting that Dea and Anastasia chose the same laundry tap. Did anyone else pick this?

With Dea and Daz’s laundry, I didn’t like the size of the sink. For me, I soak a lot of items in my laundry tub. But for Dea and Daz’s ideal buyer, a small sink might be sufficient. They will probably get their clothes dry cleaned anyway.

Josh & Charlotte's laundry — Josh & Charlotte’s laundry

Tim & Anastasia's Laundry — Tim & Anastasia’s Laundry

Jess & Ayden's Laundry — Jess & Ayden’s Laundry

Dea & Daz's Laundry — Dea & Daz’s Laundry

I’m not a wine drinker so I know very little about wines and cellars, but I was impressed with all four cellars that were presented last night. In my opinion, the fact that each apartment has it’s own cellar adds value to each apartment. Of course that’s coming from a non-wine drinker who would much prefer the storage space than racks holding thousands of dollars worth of wine. With that said, I had to disagree with Darren Palmer when he judged Jess & Ayden’s cellar with the table and chairs by commenting on who would sit with a view of the wall and enjoy a drink in their cellar? I know a few mums who would jump at the chance of hiding in there away from their children. 😉 Just saying.

Here are the photo reveals of the wine cellars. I don’t mind Josh and Charlotte’s ‘earthy’ cellar and Dea and Daz’s cellar is wowing. It reminded me of my experiences visiting high end/boutique wineries in the Barossa Valley and Hunter Valley.

Josh & Charlotte's Wine Cellar — Josh & Charlotte’s Wine Cellar

Tim & Anastasia's wine cellar — Tim & Anastasia’s wine cellar

Jess & Ayden's Wine Cellar — Jess & Ayden’s Wine Cellar

Dea & Daz's wine cellar — Dea & Daz’s wine cellar

Dea & Daz's wine tasting corner — Dea & Daz’s wine tasting corner

I personally love the idea of more storage so this space by created by Josh and Charlotte was a great idea.

Did you think Dea and Daz deserved another win? What did you think of the reveals last night?

I’m linking with Essentially Jess for IBOT.

It isn’t easy being she

By

Rebecca Senyard

-

March 8, 2015

13

This week I have felt stressed. You know that overwhelming feeling where your to do list is so long and all you want to do is get ahead on it, but you can’t because you’re a mum to little kids and they are oblivious to the things you have to do?

I’ve struggled with wanting to get ahead with my to do list and being a great attentive mum to my girls.

I’ve neglected reading my Bible. Haven’t had the time. I pray quick prayers, read a quick devotional and then sometimes swear when something doesn’t go to plan and ask God why is life so damn hard?

I’ve said yes to more this year because I needed to.

I needed some paid work and I was able to get some freelance writing work just through networking. It’s work that I enjoy, but if I can’t get to the computer to write those articles for the week I hyperventilate.

Every attempt on my part to get ahead has ended in tears. Last weekend we had no internet because Telstra had to fix a copper cable in our area. I was frustrated because it meant a weekend where I couldn’t get onto the computer to get some work done. Thankfully my prepaid Telstra modem that I won from Kidspot got me out of trouble.

Then on Thursday night, the internet was working but my internet explorer was not.

Then Phoebe and I came down ill. I thought Phoebe was just teething and I had a bad cold. Turns out Phoebe has a viral infection (she came out in a rash and I thought it was measles, but it’s not, Thank GOD) which just requires Panadol and Nurofen and lots of rest.

So today, it is International Women’s Day and I am at home with Phoebe. Jacob has taken Esther and Magdalene to church.

And the time alone with Phoebe has been glorious. It’s been much needed.

I’ve prayed. I’ve cried. I’ve worshiped. I’ve read inspiring words that have gently lifted up my soul.

My struggles have been my own. I’ve caused them really.

Too high expectations on myself and pressure to ‘get ahead’ are doing no favours for my inner wellness.

I’ve been tired and I’ve been sick. And I’m sick and tired of this tug of war struggle that women face day in and day out.

It isn’t easy being she.

I know I’m not the only mum that is feeling overwhelmed by the expectations of life. After going to the city on Tuesday for a blogging conference, I got to catch up with some blogging friends and I got to meet my new boss.

All four of us struggle with time. Most of us mums are going to bed at midnight because we work on projects or business’s that allow us to be stay at home mums or if not that, the flexibility of working around rigid school hours.

All of us women struggle with something.

I think about the emails I receive from women trying to get an apprenticeship or the treatment they receive while doing their apprenticeship.

I see women fighting each other online for the choices they make for their family and careers.

I read blogs and articles about how as women we need to do more to provide for our financial future because the sacrifice of childbearing puts a dent in our super.

We need equal opportunity, we need support and we need flexibility but it is sometimes hard to find.

In amongst the angst of this week, I haven’t had time to listen to that inner voice of the Holy Spirit to stop and spend time with God.

Doesn’t God know I’m busy?

But then this morning after spending time in the quiet while Phoebe was playing with her toys on the floor, I was able to stop and listen.

That moment I stopped, I began to feel refreshed.

Why have I not listened and obeyed that inner voice sooner?

I’ve been convicted of late not spending time with God first thing in the morning. Not convicted because it’s what a good Christian should do. Convicted because I know that I am at my brightest in the morning and instead of spending some time with God I choose to get more sleep or do some work.

I know that spending time with God first thing in the morning won’t prevent my struggles. But He does give me peace and wisdom to know how to handle each struggle as it comes up.

Today I got clarity from some verses in the Bible. All to do with giving to others and to stop focusing on me. (Philippians 2:3-4)

Often as a working mum I am focused on how much I have to do, but I rarely focus on why I do what I do.

I work so I can provide for my children and to avoid the stress living on one wage can add. I chose to write a blog and say yes to freelance writing work because of the flexibility and the extra cash to assist with our expenses. I do this for a happy family life. But I’m still working out the formula on how I can be less stressed through the process.

I don’t think the tug and war battle with women balancing family and work life will ever cease. We live in a flawed world. But our capacity and mindset can change by simply learning to rely on God’s strength and not our own.

In the peace and quiet of night time, I’m thankful that life is busy and good. I’d prefer it to be this way than not. I find thinking of the alternative gives me a bit of perspective.

I just wish I’d learn to make quiet time a priority because I know I will feel less frazzled during the day.

How has life been for you? Do you spend time with God? Doing anything to celebrate International Women’s Day?

Romans 15:13 May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in Him, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit.

Could a 4 day work week change your family’s life?

By

Rebecca Senyard

-

March 6, 2015

26

This post has been written in collaboration with GoToMeeting Australia

Starting a family is a costly decision. Having a baby costs time, money and sometimes careers. Babies add a new dimension to the whole work life balance equation. One of the biggest considerations when deciding to start a family is whether you can afford to raise a child, and if you can afford to, whether one or both parents need to go back to work to make ends meet.

Before we had kids, Jacob and I both worked full time. After we had Esther, Jacob returned to work full time and I went back to work part-time/casually when she was 4.5 months old. Depending on the amount of work Dad and I took on or won, depended on how many days I worked. I found 1-2 days of work the best balance for my week.

When we had Magdalene, I went back to work when she was 6 months old. I was only back at work for a couple of months before I found out I was pregnant again with Phoebe. Life took a detour and I stopped work because of many reasons which you can read about here.

Now that Phoebe is 7 months old, I have decided to be a stay at home mum, but as a result of consistently writing this blog and networking I have been able to gain freelance writing work which (Praise God) fits in around looking after my girls.

Jacob has remained working full time but there are times where I have wondered if we’d all benefit from him working 4 days a week. Especially while our girls are little.

The reason I have wondered this is because after he has finished work at his physical employment, there is always yard work and cleaning to be done at home and sometimes our Saturdays are consumed with household chores, ferrying kids to swimming lessons and mowing the front and back lawns.

I’ve always wondered how much freer our weekends would be if Jacob worked 4 days because that extra day off would mean the house stuff could be done and we could have more family time together on the weekend.

I know of friends who have worked a 4 day week and it’s worked well for their family.

The only setbacks to Jacob working 4 days is his pay would be reduced which wouldn’t help our already tight budget, and his position is a full time one so he would have to change jobs which he wouldn’t be keen on because he enjoys his job.

I’m not the only one that has thought about the benefits and drawbacks of a four day working week. GoToMeeting Australia have put together this excellent infographic which highlights the pros and cons to building a case for this concept.

I found the infographic fascinating. Especially the real life examples of where the 4 day work week was a success. It was also interesting to read about the countries where it didn’t work.

I think a 4 day week would make life easier but I wonder at what cost? Would work days have to be longer to get more work completed and can people afford to live with less pay if they choose not to work for 5 days?

Most people enjoy a long weekend and the subsequent shorter work week that follows. I enjoy that extra time with Jacob and I know my girls do too.

It’s ironic that John Maynard Keynes predicted people would be working 15 hours a week by 2030 because of technology. But I think expectations and deadlines have been raised because of the way technology allows us to get more done quickly which means we fill more work into our days.

What do you think about a 4 day work week? Could a 4 day work week change your family’s life?

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

Main Image Source.

Magdalene turned 2

By

Rebecca Senyard

-

March 3, 2015

36

The day cyclone Marcia decided to hit the North QLD coast, Magdalene turned 2.

I had a night planned to have family over for dinner but we cancelled at the last minute as the rain pelted down and news reports suggested the worst of the rain and wind was going to hit Brisbane that Friday night.

Not to be perturbed by the weather outside, Esther, Magdalene and I went about baking a cake. I went against Pinterest and got Magdalene and Esther to decorate the cake.

Magdalene loves dinosaurs and so we purchased the cake icing toppers from Coles the night before. We should have put the sprinkles on first and then the dinosaurs but Esther insisted that the dinosaurs had to go on first so they could experience a ‘sprinkle party’.

Magdalene does not walk in her sister’s shadow. She placed the dinosaurs carefully on the cake while Esther shook the sprinkles.

It’s fascinating to see Magdalene’s personality unfold and how she is quite different in the way she approaches life compared to her older sister.

Once the cake was baked, my mum drove through the rain to pick up my grandparents and we had an early lunch with hot potato gems, sausage rolls and chicken nuggets. Comfort rain food.

Can't celebrate being 2 without wearing a Frozen Dress! — Can’t celebrate being 2 without wearing a Frozen Dress!

As for presents, I got Jacob to do a mad dash to the shops the day before Magdalene’s Birthday to get something because when I looked into my present bag, all the presents weren’t really age appropriate. We ended up getting her a Fireman Sam Truck, a Mister Maker DVD and Lola from the Charlie and Lola TV series. We’re big fans of ABC 4 Kids in this household.

We also put up a pink pavilion for the girls to play in while it rained outside.

The house looked like a cyclone had hit it inside as the girls emptied nearly every toy box in the house. I also had washing hanging everywhere to dry indoors, the cons of not having a dryer.

I remember when I found out I was pregnant with Phoebe, I looked forward to when Magdalene was 2 because I somehow thought that this was the point where I would cope better with being a mum to three children with two close in age. The reality is I have coped much better than I thought.

The terrible twos and threes are on my doorstep. The hardest part is she is so adorable when she misbehaves and when I scold her, she rolls her eyes. I don’t know where she learned that from.

I scroll through pictures from when Magdalene was born to now and it’s amazing how much life you can pack into two years. Bring on the subsequent years I say.

Loves getting her photo taken with Esther.

Must get her picture taken for #everydaystyle

Have you experienced the terrible twos or threes? Made an unpinterest worthy cake recently?

There is a little bit of bad in all of us

By

Rebecca Senyard

-

February 24, 2015

19

There is a little bit of bad in all of us. In some people there is a lot. You don’t need to do too much research to find someone behaving badly. Just read the comments under a Mama Mia blog post. Or turn on the news to hear of unspeakable murders, wars that may never peacefully reconcile and celebrities hunting endangered animals for fun.

But there is no evil in me you say. I say the same too, until…

I yell at my daughter when she ignores my third call to get her butt to me so I can do her hair for kindy. I blame sleep deprivation for my impatience.

Or the toddler who decides it’s fun to spit out their juice all over the house creating a wet, sticky mess on a freshly washed floor. I blame the sister for encouraging it.

And if it’s not my kids bringing into light my badness, it’s social media. I have participated in the comparison game. Sad when a blogger has more likes than me, but triumphant when another blogger does not. Thankfully I stopped that earlier on when I started my blog and realized that blogging is not a popularity contest. But I’m sure I’m not the only one that has been sucked into that pride feeding game. Can anyone relate?

Our badness comes to light through our anger, jealousy and weakness.

There is a little bit of bad in all of us.

The difference between my bad and that of someone else is this: Mine is done in the secrecy of my head or in my home. Other’s badness goes viral online because they have been caught doing wrong and we shake our heads or write blogposts about how disgusted we are in what we have seen.

Ever made a mistake? Like a really bad mistake and been humiliated by it? It’s awful and the judgment by others is a heavy burden to brunt.

I make mistakes all the time. Becoming a parent has brought out the best and worst in me. But I want to be different and by grace I have been called to be different. A few moments after I’ve lost the plot with my kids, I grab them and hug them and apologise for going crazy. I pray to do better. How many parents do this after losing the plot with their kids?

The best way to defeat badness is not to participate in it. But if we all have a bit of badness in us, this may not be as successful as we intend.

So what else can we do?

Practice compassion and grace. If you need a lesson on this, read a Bible and see how Jesus reacted to the badness in His time. He extended grace to the dodgy tax collector, an adulteress who should have been stoned to death and lepers who were ostracized from society because they supposedly earned their wounds.

Jesus may not be physically here on earth, but by God’s grace we can extend his compassion by seeing the best in people despite their shortcomings. By understanding when someone falls from grace.

I get disappointed by celebrities, blogs and even friends and family who let out a bad side I didn’t see coming. But I also disappoint myself the moment I let my bad streak reign. We need less hate. Less judgment. Some of us should know better, but some of us haven’t been blessed with a good upbringing and no one can understand the pressures of one’s environment. It can do strange things to the heart and mind.

While badness manifests itself into a downward spiral of hate, love always protects and multiplies into understanding and compassion.

We need more love and less hate.

So the next time you are disappointed with someone, extend grace. You can be disappointed, but refuse to do what 90% of the world would do. Extend grace.

Whoever has not done wrong can cast the first stone.

Have you noticed badness in yourself? Others? I’d love to hear your thoughts.

The Block Triple Threat Main Bathroom Reveals

By

Rebecca Senyard

-

February 23, 2015

8

Last night The Block Triple Threat main bathroom reveals were shown and I had mixed feelings as I saw each reveal. My favourite bathroom was Dee & Daz’s and I thought they were once again worthy winners. I wasn’t blown away by the bathrooms, but there were some good choices made by each of the couples. Let’s check out the bathrooms and I will give a run down on the design and layout and it’s practicality for future use.

First up was Josh and Charlotte’s bathroom which was simple but looked a little stark to me. It felt too light and not enough interest to keep my attention. I did love their long inset shelf in the shower, but there was little storage elsewhere which makes it not very practical for a main bathroom. The overhead shower was a nice choice, but it would have been good to have a shower rose and rail as I find that not a lot of pressure comes through when it’s mounted from the ceiling. The tap choice was different, but not something I would have chosen and I felt like I’d seen that over mount basin before. The inwall cistern is a great way to save space and I liked where they placed the toilet in the layout of the room.

Josh & Charlotte's Main Bathroom — Josh & Charlotte’s Main Bathroom

Josh & Charlotte's bathroom view from shower — Josh & Charlotte’s bathroom view from shower

Next was Tim & Anastasia’s bathroom which was a big improvement in design after their elimination round of bathroom reveals. I really liked the timber vanity despite the work needed to maintain them. I liked the contrast in tile choice and the basin tap was a very cool feature. A similar shower shelf and overhead rose was used like Josh & Charlotte’s bathroom. The diamond shaped tiles in the shower were a stunning choice. I agree with Neale about not liking shallow basins. The black one chosen does look fabulous but I wonder about practicality with cleaning it over time. Black ceramics or stone can be water stained over time which makes them look a little grubby despite being cleaned.

Tim & Anastacia's Main Bathroom — Tim & Anastasia’s Main Bathroom

Tim & Anastacia's bathroom view from shower — Tim & Anastasia’s bathroom view from shower

The third bathroom was Jess & Ayden’s which I was eager to see with their choice of expensive tiles. I’m partial to the hexagonal tile and would have definitely used it as a feature wall as opposed to all over. I loved that Jess & Ayden chose to make a separate room for the toilet. It’s sensible and practical especially in a main bathroom where a toilet is almost always separate from the shower and vanity. I did not like the above mounted basin. It reminded me of a trough. I didn’t mind the light timber finish on the mirror and under the vanity.

Jess & Ayden's Main Bathroom — Jess & Ayden’s Main Bathroom

Jess & Ayden's separate toilet — Jess & Ayden’s separate toilet

The last bathroom reveal was Dea and Daz’s and I think they did well. It looked luxurious and I love a bath in a main bathroom. The double vanity is also practical for a main bathroom. I agreed with Shayna about whether there was a need for double shower heads as this is more suited for an ensuite. I loved the tile choice and the functional storage. I also liked the styling. The only concerns I have are the practicality of cleaning around a feature bath as it looks like a tight fit. Again the overhead showers seem to be an in trend but having a shower rose on a rail is very practical and will possibly be longed for by the couple that live in this apartment. Despite my concerns, it’s a bathroom I would happily relax in and have in my home.

Dea & Daz's Main Bathroom — Dea & Daz’s Main Bathroom

Dea & Daz's Bathroom Storage — Dea & Daz’s Bathroom Storage

Dea & Daz's feature bath — Dea & Daz’s feature bath

So that’s a wrap up of the main bathrooms by each of the couples. Which bathroom is your favourite? Do you like overhead or wall mounted shower roses?

Bedroom Make Over

By

Rebecca Senyard

-

February 17, 2015

55

This post has been written in collaboration with Super Amart

If you’ve read my blog for a while, you would know I’m a huge fan of The Block. My favourite part of the show is the reveals on a Sunday night. I take extra note on how the teams furnish their bedrooms because it’s always been a room I’ve struggled to style successfully.

When Super Amart asked if I wanted to collaborate to do a mini make over I jumped at the opportunity and said yes as it would assist with the restyling of our master bedroom.

I’ve always been into the matchy matchy quilt cover sets where I would purchase the quilt cover, matching European Covers and the matching decorative pillow. When we first moved into our home 6 years ago we had a navy quilt with silver sequins. The quilt went well with the olive grey feature wall in the master bedroom. This colour was not chosen by us and we didn’t mind it. What I didn’t realise was how hard it was to find the right linen to match with that particular wall colour.

Before Christmas I purchased a new quilt cover from The Home Sale and some black polka dot pillow cases from I Love Linen. I won a heart cushion in an Instagram auction and in my head this cushion was going to be the piece that completed my new look. In January I put the ensemble together before Jacob came home from work.

When I finished making the bed, my gut told me it suited a teenage girl’s room. Jacob confirmed my gut feeling by telling me he didn’t like it. It definitely did not go well with our olive grey wall.

Slightly deflated by my styling misdemeanor, I took photos and shared them on Facebook and Instagram (as you do) not showing the complete picture.

This is what our bedroom looked like before the make-over.

And this is what our room looks like now.

A lot of effort went into getting this look. I got some styling inspiration from my blogging friend Vanessa from Style and Shenanigans. If you want tips on how to place cushions on your bed check out her post here. I also used hints from this post too.

Super Amart has a really good selection of cushions to choose from. Their bedding department also stock Logan & Mason bed linen. I decided to use my Super Amart voucher to get something for our wall and cushions to dress up our bed.

I fell in love with the mirror when I was researching online. I knew it would be perfect to lighten up our wall and add some elegance to our room. It would also work well with our existing lamp shades.

I decided I would use a white quilt (from Target) to be my base and then add cushions and a throw to tie the wall colour, lamps and mirror together.

When I went to Super Amart I chose three different textured cushions in green colours. Unfortunately when I took the cushions home, they did not match with the wall and in fact clashed terribly. The mirror was also chipped on one of the corners when I unpacked it. So I headed back to Super Amart that same afternoon to exchange the items much to the Macgregor store’s frustration. I weighed on whether to write this because I don’t like to write negatively about a company but it’s important to be honest.

A new mirror was found to replace the chipped one and when I asked if I could exchange the cushions, the lady behind the counter asked me with exasperation ‘What’s wrong with the cushions?’ I explained that the colours weren’t right. I was apologetic for being a nuisance and further explained I had to go with a monochrome look because I wasn’t going to be able to match the cushions to our feature wall.

While this was all unfolding, Esther and Magdalene decided to do the opposite of what I had asked them NOT to do and jumped on the lounges. Thankfully there was no one else in the store but it was stressful having to explain why I had needed to exchange with my two girls going crazy in the store. The new mirror was placed in my boot to assist me (as had been done that morning) so it may have just been an off afternoon.

Despite the disappointing reaction, I love the products from Super Amart. In fact most of our house furniture comes from Super Amart as it was bought 10 years ago when Jacob and I bought our first home together. The furniture has stood the test of time and some items are still sold in their stores today.

I have always gone to Super Amart at Oxley and have never had any issues with service and the only reason I went to Macgregor was because they had stock of the mirror. When I rang Oxley to see if I could exchange the cushions there to avoid having to drive over to Macgregor, I was told that there would be a lot of paperwork but they would be happy to assist me. Unfortunately due to the chip in the mirror, I had to head back to Macgregor anyway.

Once I decided on the monochrome look, it was easy to choose the cushions. I chose a beige and black chevron cushion, a deer print cushion and a black pleated cushion. From the bedding department I chose the Logan and Mason Chevron textured European Cushion covers.

To add more interest to our linen, I decided to add a block colour and chose this orchid purple as it complements the olive grey wall really well. This knit cushion and throw are from Adairs, current season.

The decorator pieces come from Target, Pillow Talk and Bed Bath and Table.

We love our new room and I’m really happy with the final result.

What do you think of our make – over? Have you ever had a style faux pas?

This post has been written in accordance to my Disclosure Policy. I received a voucher from Super Amart and payment.

How to be an expert without being arrogant

By

Rebecca Senyard

-

February 13, 2015

26

When my dad first hired me to work alongside him in our family business there was one thing he told me that I still remember to this day.

He told me to always speak up if I could find a better way at doing things because even though he had been a plumber for 30 years, he didn’t know everything. The reason I remember this is because I became eager to find better ways at doing tasks within our business. It also taught me that there would always be something new to learn no matter how experienced I became as a plumber.

Throughout Tafe and during my years as a plumber, I was on the ball when it came learning the plumbing by-laws.

I didn’t mind the exams at Tafe. When I did my exam relating to plumbing in three storey buildings (it was probably one of the hardest exams throughout the course), the door into the classroom was open to the adjacent staff room. One of the older teachers who liked to joke around interrupted the class by shouting, ‘Sh*t, the exam must be hard if Bec’s still doing it’, and of course the class laughed and I kind of felt embarrassed that I was spending so long on the exam, but I really wanted to make sure I answered each question right.

At work, I was often the pessimistic one when a client would ask dad and I to do a nearly impossible job. My dad would be the optimist which would find both of us doing the said job, with dad muttering how difficult it was. I could have been arrogant and said I told you so, but there would have been no point because it wouldn’t have got the job finished any quicker.

I don’t believe I’m an expert in plumbing. In fact I was reminded of my slide from plumbing-by-law grace when my dad commented on a blog post I wrote about exposed copper pipe in bathrooms.

I thought I had covered every consideration when it came to this emerging trend from overseas, but it turns out having a third baby has turned my brain to mush. Exposed copper pipe in any space needs to be lagged which is a plumbing by-law and looks ugly when exposed. This exposed pipe trend is one that CAN’T be done in QLD because of this plumbing by-law.

Thankfully I was able to update my post with this info the same day it was published, but it became a waste of a post because it didn’t relate to 80% of my readers who are from Australia.

I didn’t beat myself up at my mistake and I didn’t get offended by my dad’s correction. I’m thankful he left it. My dad is new to social media (only joined this year) so he’s getting used to commenting and liking posts on Facebook and Instagram.

I’m no expert at being humble, but I think it’s important to have to avoid becoming arrogant.

The world is constantly changing which means what was done yesterday, can be done better today.

I hope that as I get older I remember that no matter how much I know, I will always remain eager to learn. Hopefully this will help me cope with change as each year passes by.

What are you an expert in and have you ever made a monumental mistake that you should have known because of your expertise?

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

Guest Post The Builders Wife: Tips on finding balance

By

Rebecca Senyard

-

February 10, 2015

22

The cogs are starting to wheel in motion for the year now that school holidays have finished. Busyness seems to set in and those New Years resolutions and intentions can sometimes be pushed to the side.

When you have so many roles to juggle, it’s hard to focus on what really matters in life. I’ve asked Nicole from the blog The Builder’s Wife to share her tips on finding balance when life is busy. She is the perfect example of a busy mum. She owns and runs a business with her husband, is a mum to five children and blogs and styles her gorgeous Queenslander home in her spare time. I know how taxing it is to run a business in the trades, so how does she fit everything in? Here are her tips.

My Tips for finding Balance

Hi, I’m Nicole, Mum to 2, Step Mum to 3, business owner and blogger. I’ve been invited to share with you how I ‘juggle’ my life as a busy Mum and Step Mum and business owner. The truth is, sometimes I struggle to find any kind of balance. I find that juggling so many balls means one or two are bound to drop. Increasingly though, I find that the balance in life is not as elusive as I once thought. Here are my 5 top tips for finding balance as a working Mum.

1. Start the day on a positive. No matter how chaotic or difficult the day before, there is always something to be grateful for. I begin each day with some time to reflect in gratitude. I do this in a few different ways, by writing in my gratitude journal, sitting with my Husband and enjoying a coffee and a chat, or I visualise my day with a positive outcome.

2. Planning and Preparation. I have several diaries to keep me organised. I have a family/daily diary, a work diary and blogging diary. With so much going on at any one time, it’s would be easy to forget things, being a business owner means, it’s really important that I don’t. My Husband and I also make time to sit with our diaries and plan together; this keeps both our business and family lives in sync. I plan everything as far in advance as I possibly can, right down to our breakfast, lunch and dinner for each day. Essentially, if it’s not in the diary, it’s not going to get done.

3. Exercise. I make time for myself to exercise, 5 days a week. It’s my reward for working so hard, my time out, a chance to catch up with friends and my stress relief.

4. Date Night! Hubby and I celebrate our love and relationship by having ‘dates’ as often as our schedule allows, at least once a week. With so many children, it is rare that we have babysitters, so our dates are usually taken at home. We grab a bottle of wine, a plate of nibbles, set the kids up with a movie and then just sit on the deck and talk uninterrupted for an hour or so. It really helps to keep us connected and in touch.

5. Individual Time With Each Child. This can be as simple as taking an extra 10 minutes when putting them to bed or as elaborate as a trip to the movies, either way that little bit of time, especially in a blended or step family, makes a huge difference to the harmony of our home.

There you have it, my top 5 tips to finding balance in my life, however what works for me, may not work for you. I found my balance through trial and error.

You can follow The Builder’s Wife on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.

How do you find balance in your life? Do you have any tips you’d like to share?

I’m linking up with Essentially Jess for IBOT.

The Block Triple Threat Bathroom Reveals

By

Rebecca Senyard

-

February 6, 2015

21

The Block Triple Threat Bathroom Reveals were on last night and I was very interested to see how each couple would go in producing a renovated bathroom in 72 hours.

These time frames honestly give me heart palpitations and I’m not the one doing them! Just knowing the amount of work that goes on behind the scenes to renovate a bathroom leaves me questioning the quality of the bathrooms produced, but I was amazed at what they achieved.

First up we have Tim and Anastasia. I loved their tile choice in the shower and the above counter basin on the wood floating vanity. The judges did think there were too many tile textures in the bathroom, but I think they got away with using them because they stuck to the same light colour scheme. This technique of using light colours on the walls and floors gives the illusion the bathroom is bigger than it is. Overall I think they created a great bathroom and I’m glad that they got their place in the top 3.

Image Source : The Block Tim & Anastasia's bathroom — Image Source : The Block Tim & Anastasia’s bathroom

Image Source: Tim & Anastasia's vanity and toilet — Image Source: Tim & Anastasia’s vanity and toilet

Next was this moroccan style bathroom from Jess & Ayden. The moment the judges walked into this bathroom, I felt claustrophobic and I wasn’t even in there! As much as I loved the Moroccan feature tile, I felt it was too overwhelming in the bathroom so I agreed with the judges opinion there. I liked the mirror and simple choice of white fixtures. Again the floating wood vanity made an appearance. I’m yet to decided whether I like the open look because cupboards can hide multiple bathroom products. It was still a lovely presented bathroom and as a result Jess & Ayden scored a place in the competition.

Image Source: Jess & Ayden's Moroccan Style Bathroom — Image Source: Jess & Ayden’s Moroccan Style Bathroom

Image Source: Jess & Ayden's vanity and toilet — Image Source: Jess & Ayden’s vanity and toilet

I really wish the third bathroom was finished because I really loved the tiles in the shower. It was a shame Luke and Ebony weren’t able to finish their bathroom, but it just shows how hard it is to produce a bathroom in the time specified. The mini vanity basin with what looks to me as a tall sink mixer looked ridiculous. I may need to watch the back episodes to find out why they were chosen for the bathroom. I’m sad that Luke and Ebony were eliminated because I had really enjoyed their style in the previous challenges.

Image Source: Love this tile used in Luke & Ebony's bathroom — Image Source: Love this tile used in Luke & Ebony’s bathroom

Image Source: Luke and Ebony's unfinished bathroom — Image Source: Luke and Ebony’s unfinished bathroom

Image Source: Luke & Ebony's vanity and toilet — Image Source: Luke & Ebony’s vanity and toilet

The last bathroom by Josh and Charlotte was my favourite. It was simple and no fuss. I think what won me over in this bathroom was the concealed storage behind the mirror. That was clever and made the bathroom so much more practical. In terms of fixtures I liked how they followed a square theme from the shower head to the basin and mixer. I was not surprised that Josh and Charlotte got through. Did anyone else find Charlotte’s personal career interesting? Her eye for styling definitely has my attention for the future episodes.

Image Source: Josh & Charlotte's Bathroom — Image Source: Josh & Charlotte’s Bathroom

Josh & Charlotte's vanity — Image Source: Josh & Charlotte’s vanity

Did you watch The Block last night and which bathroom was your favourite? I’m linking up with With Some Grace for FYBF.

Exposed Copper Pipe in Bathrooms & Kitchens

By

Rebecca Senyard

-

February 4, 2015

8

Copper is a really popular trend in interiors at present so it’s no surprise to see it being used in bathrooms and kitchens, but not in the way you would expect.

Exposed copper pipes in the bathroom and kitchen are becoming more of a trend. It adds a retro industrial look to your wet space and can look stunning against a neutral black or white tiled interior.

I’ve sourced some ideas via Pinterest on some contemporary ways of embracing this new trend, but there are a few things to consider before making a commitment to having exposed copper in your property. You may also need to get approval from your local authority to ensure exposed copper pipe is acceptable for install on your property. Unfortunately in QLD, the hot water copper lines require to be lagged before being approved for install. If you are to look at this design, it may only work for the cold water lines in most parts of Australia to abide by Australian Plumbing laws. Nevertheless, these designs show how effective the copper can look when exposed on the wall.

Image Source: Copper pipe and a black bath tub = classy

The first thing to consider is, copper tarnishes when left in contact with oxygen so you will need to clean it regularly if you want it to remain a shiny surface. A mixture of lemon juice and salt is a natural cleaner that will help your copper retain it’s colour and shine. If you want to avoid having to clean the copper, you can apply a lacquer before the pipes are installed. For best results ensure there are no finger prints or marks on the copper or else they will remain on the copper after the lacquer dries. You will need approximately 2 hours for the lacquer to dry. Lacquer can be bought from most hardware stores.

Image Source: Exposed copper to a white wash basin

The second thing to consider is the clipping of the pipe into the tiled walls. Your plumber will need to have a diamond drill bit to predrill holes for the pipe brackets. This type of drill bit will avoid cracking the tile when drilling through. If the walls are a waterproof plasterboard or concrete, you will need to get the appropriate plugs to ensure the pipes are firmly attached to the walls. The copper pipes must be clipped to meet the plumbing code and avoid water hammer.

Image Source: Consider the clipping when using exposed copper in a bathroom

Image Source: Neat & Straight is always best when using exposed copper.

The third thing to consider is whether you want the copper to be welded together or crimped together. I would recommend crimped copper because it’s a neater look. Welding will cause each joint to be black, unless you are wanting this specific look.

Exposed Copper doesn't have to run completely straight. — Image Source: Exposed Copper doesn’t have to run completely straight.

This look isn’t for everyone. Most people would prefer their pipes concealed behind a wall, but it’s definitely a trend to consider if you want to make a statement in the bathroom or kitchen. One last thing to consider is if you ever have a pipe leak, your plumber won’t have to break into the walls to fix it, although an exposed pipe could cause more water damage without the protection of the wall.

Either way, I think it’s a really cool technique. Would you have exposed copper pipes in your bathroom or kitchen? Do you like this type of look?

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Three Essential Power Tools All Plumbers Need

1. Cordless Power Drill

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What essential power tools do you own and do you prefer corded or battery operated tools?

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