White and Natural.

Don't you hate it when you find something on Piniterest and the re-pinning button doesn't work and then you can't find it when you go back to re-pin it!

It just happened.

I found the loveliest white bottles with natural string wrapped around it which I will make.  I hope the five second glance I had at it it enough to go on!

In the meantime here are some gorgeous natural and white things.



Is there anything nicer then jumping under a white cover into clean white sheets.  With three kids a soft comfy bed with nobody else in it is my fantasy now.  10 years ago it was sure to have..... hmmm .... Johnny Depp in it.

I think watches are becoming a thing of the past but I still love this one.  So simple and chic.



Love this idea of a bark place mat.

Last but not least this is a nice Xmas idea...




If you had the time this would be quite easy.  Just take a foam cone and slowly glue the string around it.

If you find those bottles - email me.

Jen and Row
www.shimi.com.au

Chalkboard Paint

So the first thing that you will find out about me is that I hate waste.

We had lots of fun with the kids making the chalkboard necklaces, however then I was left with 3/4 of a can of chalkboard paint which I have a compulsive to use.

So I came up with a few ideas that you may want to try.

Chalkboard Jar for gifts.

Great for a Xmas Present  -  just spray paint an old clean jam jar (make sure you put masking tape around the screw top!)

Chalkboard T-Cups

I have had these t-cups for years.  I don't know why I have kept them, they are very vanilla and boring, however now I have found a use for them.

My kids are always fighting over cups (of all things!!) and wanting to be like mum and dad and drink their hot chocolates out of "real" cups, so we solved the problem.

Put masking tape around the top of the cup to create a nice clean line, and we don't want chalkboard paint around the top of the cup where we drink out of. 

Spray paint

Then add names with chalk when dry - or let the kids decorate them whenever the feel the need....

(by the way, don't put these in the dishwasher - I did, the result wasn't good).

Any other ideas?  We would love to hear them.

Jen and Row
www.shimi.com.au

Chalkboard Necklaces

Here they are.....

Now I made a kid-friendly option as I thought they would be a great idea for pressies.  My little girl loves to give presents to her friends at Xmas time and I always insist we go handmade, and this one was brilliant.  Cheap, quick and quirky.  I think I spent $6 all up, and we made 20 of these bad boys.

Ingredients:

A sheet of foam
String for the necklace
Blackboard spray paint
Hole punch

Trace your shapes (I used biscuit cutters) and then cut out.

Hole punch

Spray paint...

Thread onto your necklace string.

Done.

However if you don't want to go for the kid version....

http://www.henryhappened.com/diy-chalkboard-necklace-guest-gal-cat.html

Happy creating

Jen and Row

www.shimi.com.au

The Handmade Challange

Ok, so I was a bit over zealous.  Now I have gone through ALL of the tutorials I have realised some I won't make .... because, well I don't like them.   However most of the I will make, but as always with me, there will be a twist.  I hope your creations will have a twist to it as well because that is what art is all about.  Anyone can replicate, it is putting your own stamp on things that makes it your own that makes the difference.

So, send in your "Chalkboard Necklaces" so we can publish the!

In the meantime, I came across this little creative gem:

Modge Podge Popsicle Bracelets




From Craft Affection
Happy Shopping
Jen and Rowwww.shimi.com.au

Work Wear - The forgotten

I used to work in an office and whilst I wasn't too keen on my job I loved dressing "corporate" and looking good.  I can't compete with the "funky bunch" but I can wear  a suit well.  Many of my friends can walk into an op shop or a super expensive boutique and look amazing but I tend to look like someone wearing an old dress I bought from an op shop or someone who has spent way to much money on an outfit simply because of the brand name.

Actually I had a friend that used to work in a very funky shop in The Valley in Brisbane.  She would kindly tell me when the sales were on and I would venture in there.  I never bought much but it was an eye opener to see the other customers.  There was always a few women in there who obviously had lots of money and used to buy and through EVERYTHING on simply because of the brand.

Anyway... I miss the days when I used to dress up daily to go to work.  Now I work in shorts and t-shirts and whilst I am very comfortable and wouldn't change it for the world I wouldn't mind if I could dress up once and a while.

Here are a few very cute outfits.



Love a cardi




From Asos



Love wide leg pants



Orange is become my new fav colour

Girls got to have a great bag for work though :



Dandelion Duffle

Happy Shopping

Jen and Row
www.shimi.com.au

Who's In?

So I have lost my craft mojo.  It has been missing in action for about the last 10 months.  Time to get it back.

I came across this:



So I am setting myself a challenge.  To complete all 101 Simple Handmade Gifts within the next year.

Who's In???

Join me every few days in complete this tutorials.  They all look pretty simple, hence the title "101 Simple Handmade Gifts" and for those of you with kids who are already shaking in the boots with the thought of what to do on the Xmas holidays - here is your answer.

The first is  Chalkboard Necklaces.  Very cute and a great little present for my daughters school friends.






So if you are joining in lets get this baby done by the weekend (5th November) - email me your photos of the finished product (info@shimi.com.au) and we will display your works of art on Beautiful Creations.

Yah, how exciting.

Jen and Row
www.shimi.com.au

Gorgeous Hand Made Things

Just a quick post with lots of lovely hand made things:



Love the colour



Ceramics



Cute cushion













Hand made pottery

And now for a bit more jewellery




Handmade necklaces



Handmade bracelets

Hope you get the chance to make some of these things.

Jen and Row
www.shimi.com.au

Nail Colour

I have a tormented relationship with my nails.  I do not care for them one iota, but I love beautiful looking nails.

I have tried the fake nails and on me they look, well fake.  And I never get the refilled so eventually they just look like fake nails that are about to fall off.

I love a bit of colour on my nails but my pet hate is chipped nail polish and unless you go the fake route, nail polish will be chipped within approximately 2.5 hours, maybe 3.2 hours if you don't have kids.

There are some great colours and styles out at the moment, my personal favourite is nude with peach tips.



http://pinterest.com/pin/386906650/



If I were to marry a colour ....



Nude, always super stylish




cute 



Love, love, love

Happy Shopping
Jen and Row
www.shimi.com.au

"Oh Wells" in life

I love this quote.

After nearly 4 years of Shimi we are just about at breaking point.  We love our little store and we love that we support Australian designers some of who work with recycled fabrics and all of who do all the work themselves - so no "child labour".

But, as was discussed with friends just the other day, we all want to support these industries but the reality is that we support these industries when it is financial viable, and most people will buy the cheaper product and chose to ignore how it was made, or what it was made from.  This is not an insult, it is just reality and I am guilty of it.

It's life.

For example right now I really want to believe that I would enjoy watching Q&A, but the reality is I am much more at peace staring numbly at The Big Bang Theory.

So yes, we (Shimi) are not the financially viable business we were hoping for but it is an "Oh Well", and not a "What If".  It would be the easier option to give up, but we believe in our little business and we believe in the business's we support so we will prevail and keep on even if it is always "oh well".

What I would love to hear though is some success stories.  I love hearing about Mum's in particular who have given it a go and made something of their dream.  Inspirational.

Jen
www.shimi.com.au

DIY Canvasses

This is a really simple and gorgeous idea.

If you are not blessed as an artist this is the project for you.  Find some lovely doilies (opshops are great for this), glue them to a canvas and paint white.  Done.

Again, easy, all you need is wax crayons and a hair dryer.

Very cute for a nursery

My kids have had such fun doing these type of paintings.  Just head down to your hardware store and buy some masking tape for painting.  Then stick it on your canvas in whatever design you like and paint away.  

Happy Arting

Jen and Row.

www.shimi.com.au

Vodka is just awesome water.

This quote has tickled me today!

Gone are the days that I head out to a bar to drink Vodka Cocktails, but I am very lucky and my gorgeous parents are moving to my neck of the woods, so we (husband and I) may just be able to have the occasional night out drinking a cheeky cocktail and dressing up.  Yah.

Vanilla Bean Vodka Cocktail - Yum

Chilli Lychee Shot 

Toffee Vodka Sunrise

Now all a girl needs is a dress

So Cute

A little more fresh and casual

Yellow

Don't forget to check out our fascinators for race season!!

Happy Shopping

Jen and Row

www.shimi.com.au