Clothes LIME Boutique

Camera meets Miss almost 2

2011-06-25T08:02:00.000+08:00

Ever since we bought Miss 7 and Master 9 cameras, Miss 23 months, has wanted a slice of the action. Initially I thought her far to little. Then a couple of months ago, I decided to teach her how to use a basic point and shoot (which lets face it... is about the extent of my capabilities too!) Oh my, I've unleashed a baby paparazzi! Her main subject of choice is most def. her big sister (or the crazy faces of, to be precise!) While sorting photos I found these she took when 21mths old. Not bad, not bad at all.

Linking to the lovely Natasha at little love : home of the small for Little Chicks.

Project Play

2011-06-21T12:15:00.007+08:00

I've been taking stock.
Every now and then I think we all just need to stop. Stop and take the time to think. I guess its 'me' time... which is really quite a rare thing when one juggles the demands of everyday life. I know you can relate... its all of our lives!

For me, this time comes not when I'm at my best, but when I'm struggling to make sense of life! Its a moment when I literally scream in my head, 'what about me?!' And funnily enough, once the time has been taken, the plans written down, and the ideas alive again, I find what makes me happiest is mostly doing it for my family anyway! Aaahh, complex things are we women!

Amongst these plans and selfish (but oh so justified) me dreams comes a settling reality that I am actually on the track I want to be on (well mostly) but I've just lost sight of a few things that have always been important to me.

One of these things (and you'll hear about more in time to come) goes right back to my Early Childhood Training many moons ago... the importance of positive role models, learning through play & experiences for our little people. Back track pre children, and I put my all into making sure other peoples children had every experience/tool I could offer to help them become the confident and skilled people they were to be. Along came my Number One, and again, every opportunity was grabbed and given. Number two and I have to admit, I started to slip a little (being a partner in a 7 day a week business may have a little something to do with that one!) And then hello, Number 3, now 22mths. I suddenly realised that I wasn't doing all I want to do for my Small People. Yes, the positive role modeling hadn't gone, but the experiences and opportunities for varied learning through play had! Can I honestly say that with the knowledge I have, that I'm doing all I can? Quite simply... no.

And so Project Play began! A conscious effort to do more each day with my children. (And this doesn't always equate to more time. Sometimes its just giving them the tools) To provide more opportunities (and I don't mean classes). To stop. To be child lead. To laugh, make-believe and be silly. To make memories. To take more pictures. To just be... with my Small People.

Project Play. An energy to strive to learn new things to offer my Small People. A push to remember to take pictures! Pictures capture the moment... so I can see I'm on track, and we have a record to look back on in years to come. (Don't you often wish you had more pics of you doing the things you loved as a child?)

A project that will only benefit us all. Exciting huh? (Join me!) I'll be posting some of our Learning through Play pics, and what we've been up too each week. Maybe you'd care to share too, and we can all get ideas.

***********

This past week or so, my biggest challenge has been remembering to take pics! (and please excuse the quality - terrible light + hopeless camera = shoddy pics!) Anyway, here's a visual snippet of what we've been up to...

We started off with brushes, and paint. Moved onto finger painting, and by the time we were done, it was whole hand painting!

Moneybox Play: Exploring, sound, texture, counting, sorting, fine pincer grip... Simple and fun. No setting up. Lots to learn.

After a game of cards... building is fun.

Water/Bubble Play: Throw in some containers, sponges, cutlery, and you have at least 30mins of fun! Great when doing dishes yourself! And forgot the water that reaches the floor - its just water, and takes all of 2mins to wipe up!

Glass Painting. Lots of fun, and looks super! Use water paints, and it literally takes 3mins to wash away.

1000 piece Puzzle fun! We keep this out, and everyone sits and has a go until complete. Even the littlest member gives it a go! She's not yet 2 but knows the puzzle rules (she's mostly learnt by example)

Building Blocks. We also added farm animals once building was complete.

Making her own necklace. She kept at it until she had about 15 beads done! Huge effort for an under 2!

Then it turned into a sorting game. She sat and played with the containers and beads for about 45mins!

Again I apologise for the quality of the pics... I will try to do better next time!
Hope your week is kicking off to be a great one!
Katrina

Wordless Wednesday - Enjoying the Small Things

2011-06-01T13:49:00.000+08:00

Joining Aussie Wordless Wednesday with Trish from My Little Drummer Boys.

Blog neglectful tsk tsk

2011-05-27T13:49:00.014+08:00

Sorry folks, yes, I've been blog neglectful. I could give you 101 reasons why I haven't been back here lately, but quite honestly, after reading this, no reason is good enough!

Source: Pininterest.

This has also made me realise that there are a number of things I don't do that really I should! Things that I actually find very important, but for some reason find excuses not to do them! (I'm my own worst enemy really!) So... I'm back here. With a commitment to blog more regularly. Much more regularly!

I also need to make a bigger commitment to this girl:

She needs to be walked everyday. She loves to be walked everyday. I haven't been walking her everyday. I think its important. If I think its important I will do it! Simple as that. I need to walk the walk for Daisy Dog.

There are a number of other things that I haven't been doing, but I won't bore you with the details! Lets just say I'm going to pull finger, cause heck, when someone tells you that the things you aren't doing obviously aren't important enough to you... well, thats a slap. And lets face it... we all need a slap every now and then!

Happy days!
Katrina x

{Shop News} and {Giveaway Winners!}

2011-05-09T11:02:00.000+08:00

First up...

{Shop News!}
cause I just know you want to know this BEFORE winners are announced! ;-}

After some brilliant feedback from you all... LIME is going to extend our size range to 10yrs! We will trial 7-10yrs for a couple of months and see how it goes. Keep an eye on our e-boutique as we have some awesome stock to go up this week.

Now...

{Giveaway Winners!}

Thanks to everyone that entered our giveaway.

First to select an item of their choice from our current range is .... Chrissy.

Second person is .... Frances McKenna.

And lucky last .... Amy G.

Congrats! Please e-mail me ladies with your addresses, and your item of choice - info@ClothesLime.com

Have a lovely Monday all!
Katrina x

Free Parking

2011-05-04T21:37:00.000+08:00

We are green grass people. We are walk people. So, park life suited us just fine today!

And anywhere I can take a cuppa with me, makes for a perfect outing in my book!

The difference between girls and boys.

Girls swing and prove their gymnast ability on a.n.y.t.h.i.n.g.

Boys use football posts for ... football.

But boys have been known to give swinging a go.

And a park outing isn't a park outing without mans best friend (aka Daisy in our case!)

Not long till the girls need down time.

And the dog needs a talking to.

But the boy continues. And continues.

Before we know it ... its home time.

Oh my, 1500 peeps!

2011-04-29T15:33:00.004+08:00

Wow! Little old LIME made it to 1500 likers on Facebook! Awesome! Thanks so much for being there (and here!)
So... lets celebrate.

Here's the idea.

I'm thinking... 3 for 3.
3 separate draws. 3 chances to win. 3 simple tasks to enter.

What will you win, I hear you say?
Any 1 item your heart desires from our current stock. 3 items to be given away.

How to enter the giveaway:
1. Leave a comment on this blog entry, telling me what 1 item in our current stock would be a well enjoyed piece at your house (don't fear... if you win, you don't have to pick this piece!) Head here to see whats on offer (if you don't already have your eye on something)

2. Join our Mailing List (bottom left hand side of home page)

3. Become a follower of Clothes LIMEs Blog.

Please leave a separate comment for each of the above 3 tasks, once completed.

p.s. I know some of you are a little shy when it comes to blogs/commenting on blogs... so feel free to e-mail me once you've done 1,2 and 3 if you don't wish to publicly comment :-}

Fine Print:
Giveaway is open to Australian Residents only, and includes postage of your item to you. The giveaway closes Sunday 8 May 2011 at 9pm wst. Winners will be chosen at random using random.org and will be announced here on Monday 9 May 2011. You will also be contacted via e-mail so please ensure your e-mail is linked to your commenting account or you leave it in your comment. This giveaway is not conditional on you being a facebook liker (or having to join our facebook page for that matter - although of course the more the merrier!)

New in... sneak a look...

2011-04-26T12:10:00.000+08:00

One Easter'd out toddler sleeps... one enjoys hanging with her Aunty... and the big boy's out kicking that oval footy with his dad like theres no better joy in the world for him (and ya know... I don't think there is right now!). Me, I'm LIMING it. How I love to LIME it!

New stock. Aaahh, the love!

There is a great mix amongst this lot... some Fred, Country Road, Jack & Milly, PP, even a gorgeous Calvin Klein shirt. Oh, and not to forget Converse!

Working on getting this all 'live' for tomorrow. Should I release it in one hit, or add it to our website slowly? Let me know your thoughts...

And last, but most importantly...

Thank you for your huge support of LIME. Thank you for your support of me and my dream for LIME. Each and every one of your e-mails, pm's, comments and warm words, have been so appreciated. Feels superdedastic (ok, so I stole that from the kids, but share and share alike huh?) to know that not only am I personally on the right track, but going by your influx of orders this past two weeks... you think I am too! So, quite simply... Thank You!

Katrina x

This Sunday... I'm lovin:

2011-04-17T14:50:00.000+08:00

Thrifty Finds...
Thrifty shopping is feel good shopping. Shopping for the soul.
A few favourite finds...

This little guy is Vinty from England! Available to purchase: Clothes LIME

Gorgeous Vintage Leather Shoes, available to purchase: Clothes LIME

Oh, I do love Vintage books... the older and more classic, the better!

Divine Vintage Pillowcases. 2 sold at Clothes LIME to the lovely ladies at Smiley Tots Clothing to become pillowcase dresses. Blue still available.

'The' 1970's Thermos Roughneck Flask - in perfect condition! So divine. Was so excited to sell this for what I bought it for... a Clothes LIME 'Sharing the Love' sale... $1 + post.

Much loved chair, block trolley and quilted blanket. Oh the love felt for these goodies!

Knowing that my baby girls room is closer to completion...
The spec: blue for a girl! (+ deep/baby pink) : A fun room with a mixture of new and thrifted goodies : A modern and traditional combo.

A few of our thrifted goodies

More thrifty goodness

Getting one step closer to Forrest...
'run, Forrest, run'
♬ These feet were made for running and thats just what I'll do...♬

Gorgeous hand-made up-cycled items...
How I do love upcycled vintage goodness!

A gorgeous vintage up-cycled top from A Little Original

Divine up-cycled skirt from Monsoons and Mangoes

Happy Sunday! And do share what you are lovin' this Sunday.

delicious ambiguity

2011-04-15T12:00:00.000+08:00

The moments have been had. Decisions have been made. Who knows how this is going to work for LIME! (Oh my, how exciting is that?!)

What I do know...

- Stella McCartney Tutu's ARE for climbing trees. Little girls should be free to do so without Mum worrying about said Tutu and how much it cost.

- Dressing your children in labeled clothing, should not be dictated by your income, location, who you know, or generous SIL hand-me downs.

- The right to 'that' feeling when wearing something that makes us feel special should be there for all of us.

- Gorgeous recycled children's clothing (including designer labels) should be assessable to everyone, for no more than the price of a movie ticket.

My dream for LIME? Quite simply... to make the above happen ♥

Keeping LIME sustainable? I'm a firm believer that if its making your heart sing... all will be just fine.

Katrina x

Excited... oh Yes sir e Bob!

2011-04-12T22:01:00.003+08:00

They say inspiration comes like a bolt of lightening. They speak of light bulb moments. A slap across the face. Call it what you will, but today was my day.

I won't kid you (or myself) I've been there (here) before. Why is it though, that you don't realise until you aren't there again! And haven't been for months?!

There has been many many moments that LIME has really excited me. Its been there in every breath I take. Can't get it out of my head kinda stuff. And then there has been those times where I want to curl up in bed and pull the blankets over my head. (Thankfully, that doesn't happen often!) Maybe its all part of the process of life. I don't know. What I do know is that something hasn't been sitting quite right with me lately. Couldn't put my finger on it. Heck, life really should be great for me. I have a dream family (my dream family), a nice home, standard 2.5 kids (make that 3, I don't think any of them will appreciate being 1/2!)... nothing really to complain about... yet, I wasn't feeling the love. I wasn't feeling the love of life. Just something I couldn't quite put my finger on. I talked to my Lovely Half. I talked to my Sister. I talked to my Mum. I grumbled at my Children. I grumbled at my Lovely Half. I walked the Dog each day. I mulled things over. I knew it would come, but darn it, I was getting frustrated and pissed off waiting! Fix it already I kept telling myself.

A few small things happened today, and little did I realise, they would take me to my lightbulb moment. I think they were little things that got me in the right headspace... nothing really to do with my 'ultimate moment'.

(Firstly, I should add a disclaimer to this paragraph... I love children's clothing. I love labeled children's clothing. I love to see my children wearing gorgeous labeled clothing. Think me fickle... thats a-ok, this is how I roll) I dressed Miss Sophia for her music/dancing class this morning. Dressed her really cute in a matchy matchy outfit (yes, those that know me well, know I like matchy, matchy!) A mum commented on what she was wearing last week, and it made me feel good. We'd go for round 2. of that thank you very much! And what do you know... she draws on her outfit 2mins before we leave (that will teach me huh?!) So I pull out a cute dress (price kill Old Navy number, a few $$), some baby legs and off we go. I look at her there dancing and loving 'Ring a ring a rosie', and dang, she looks so cute. I feel that heart swelling pride when you look at your cute kid, and think, 'she's mine... yes, she rides with me'. First 'moment' of the day. (and re: the outfit, its lovely, and I realise that part of the appeal is that its lovely AND was cheap!)

Later in the day I took Miss Gabriella to Zumba Class. Gosh I love that children's Zumba music. Just makes me want to jive. I said to Jack... 'doesn't this music make you want to dance?' 'Nup', he said (like all well educated nearly 10 year old boys say). 'Anyway I can't dance'. So, I say, 'everyone can dance, some just dance better than others.' 'True' he said. Then I said, 'I think I want to run'. 'Why?' he said. 'I don't know. I just think I'd like to take up running... you know, put on some runners, and just do it.' 'Cool' he said. 'Well, I guess you walk the dog now' he said. (Cause thats the same you know in the world of a nearly 10yr old! Walking the dog... taking up running... lets hope huh?!)

So, we are walking home from Zumba and its getting late'ish... we've stayed there a little longer than usual. We turn into our street, and the Lovely Half drives up beside us. He's come to see if we are ok, and need a lift. In that moment I think, 'gosh I love that man'. I know he could have got home from work, sat down and enjoyed the peace without us there. But no, he looks for us... cause his house needs us in it.

Then, I sit down tonight on the chair in Miss Sophia's room and feed her before I pop her into bed. I'm sitting there just thinking about why I'm feeling really great tonight... and I suddenly realise. I lost sight of the dream I had for LIME. Like I said, I've been here before in the past. The dream had been realised before. But alas, along the way of living life, paying the bills, getting LIME 'out there'... darn it, I went off the track again! (I sooo need to set a GPS for LIME!) In my moment of feeling really good from lots of little 'moments', I realise what I want from LIME. What I want LIME to be for others. And I am sooo off track with it... again!

So, back to the drawing board! LIME is about Sharing the Love of an exciting find. Helping others dress their children in gorgeous labeled clothing without the crazy cost. Giving other mums (that feel like I do about children's clothing, and I know thats not y'all) that swelling pride when you look at your child dressed in gorgeous labels. Its about sharing labels with you for amazing prices. Again, LIME's prices have started to match our competitors. Darn it, would this number crunching section of my brain just buzz off! LIME has never been about running with everyone else selling Gently Loved clothing. It was always supposed to be about Sharing the Love.

Can LIME survive slashing prices back? To be honest, I really don't know! Only time will tell. One thing I do know... as it is right now, I'm not Feeling the Love. Now that the decision is made... I'm really excited. It's to be the LIME I always wanted it to be. Sharing.the.love.of.an.exciting.find.

Lets do it! Watch this space in the next day or two...

Katrina x

Lists.

2011-04-06T23:18:00.001+08:00

Its started out to be one of 'those' weeks.

A week where I've got sooo much running through my head that I don't think air could find a space to park right now! So, I did as all sensible people do, and I decided to write a list. The plan was to list down all that needs doing, and work my way though it. As I wrote I could hear my parents saying, 'write it down... thats the start of a plan to getting through it all. Mark it off as you go.' (Wise words baby boomers)

Now... I know list writing is the done thing... but I'm not sure that I'd recommend it unless you have a spare hour or 3! I don't know about you, but the moment I start to write a list to clear some headspace, I realise I really need to write another list, for all the things that associate to the first list! Then I get ideas as I'm writing, and think, heck, I best jot those down too. What starts as a plan to clear headspace, becomes a surefire way to setting off a realm of new ideas and the associated sleepless night while said ideas are mulled over in the silence of night!

So... now I have 3 lists, and lots of new ideas. Am I any closer to completing the first list? I've marked off the first 2. Thats progress. Tomorrow is a new day, and the BIG plan for the day is to clear the list. Yes, 'clear' the list. Wish me luck.

Oh, and look... list writing starts early. Miss Sophia (20mths).

I'll leave you with a list far more exciting than mine! 15 Things You Didn't Know Were German! Crazy huh? Who would have thought!

Sweet, uninterrupted dreams,

Katrina x

The 'whole' LIME...

2011-03-28T22:22:00.006+08:00

A blog. A blog for LIME. A glimpse behind the scenes of LIME.

For some time now I’ve thought I need to get blogging. There is so much more to LIME than what is seen at the front end (for loss of a better word! You know… it could have been worse. Alot worse. I could have named this blog… ‘And Some. A look at LIMEs back end’)

To be completely honest with you… blogging doesn’t come easy for me (yet anyway). I’m quite a private person. And often shy at that (yes its true). So the thought of sharing what else goes on in this here world of LIME, is a little daunting. But alas, I think its only just. If for no other reason, than to give my customers a personal guarantee. A 'this is LIME, and this is the person behind it' glimpse at the business.

So on that note... the Blog will begin, and I will start to share.

Oh, and thanks for being here!

Katrina x