Soft Fabric Necklace

How life has changed since my baby has come along.  The bigger I got when I was pregnant, the more jewellery I wore.  Bigger and brighter.

Now that I have a little one nuzzling into my neck most days I have had to retire all my lovely necklaces for the moment.  I am quite annoyed about this because I am still wearing only a handful of clothes until I lose the baby weight, and I am restricted to black and white so a great necklace is the perfect accessory to give any outfit a bit of style.

So I got quite excited when I found this blog with instructions on how to make a necklace out of scraps of materials.  I have so much fabric (little bits) that I love and can't get rid of even though I have nothing to do with them - well not anymore.

This is the website : http://craft-project.com/2010/06/21/recycled-scraps-how-to-make

As usual, if you give it a try, send us a photo, we would love to see the finished product.

Jen and Row
www.shimi.com.au

French Connection

I am always looking for interesting top to wear with jeans.

I love jeans, but being a stay at home mum I end up wearing jeans and t-shirts most of the time, and I must admit most of my wardrobe is black or white.  So when I find a great top with a bit of detail to throw on when I leave the house I grab it.

This French Connection top is great.  Small and subtle print, simple cut and beautiful detail on the arm bangs and neckline make this a great top to pop on with jeans.  Subsequently this would be great with a corporate suite, or with a cute pair of shorts in summer.

Happy Shopping

Jen and Row
www.shimi.com.au

The Perfect Weekender Bag

Long Weekend is coming up : this is an essential bag for those quick trips away.


This bag is not only super stylish but very roomy.  And the best bit - made from organic cotton and bamboo.  Very environmentally friendly.

Beautiful orange lining.

The cassia weekender is available in either the Plum or Natural. 

A multi-purpose carry-all for the office, gym, or a weekend trip. Inspired by a traditional “doctor’s bag”, the wire-frame opening provides easy access to the roomy interior. A touch of whimsy can be found in the details, from the orange lining to the wood trims. Embroidered with a geometric tree pattern.

Earth-friendly materials & construction:
• Organic cotton and bamboo blend fabric and lining
• Leather tanned without harmful chrome
• OEKO-TEX certified dyeing 
• Chemical-free embroidery
Additional Features:
• Lots of pockets – Front pocket for small items plus zippered back pocket for magazines and newspapers
• Interior pockets – one zippered, two open for all your accessories
• Wooden “feet” on bottom panel
• Hidden magnet keeps front flap in place
Dimensions:
43cmW x 36cmH x 20.5cmD
Strap Drop 18cm

Happy Shopping

Jen and Row

www.shimi.com.au

More MANGO Tops

Again I give you my favourite brand at the moment : MANGO.


 Lovely casual tops that will compliment your everyday wardrobe.


This gorgeous green top is so vibrant and fun.  It looks great with this skirt, but would equally nice with white, black, chocolate, tan and denim.


Jeans, skirt or dress pants - very versatile top.

White blouses, doesn't matter how many you have, it's all in the detail.

I LOVE this singlet.  I had a similar one years ago and wore it to death.  Slightly cheesy, but so cute.

For those days when you want some subtle colour, this is a great t-shirt.

Pale blue and demin, a great combination.

This gorgeous romantic cream blouse is a dream.

Oversizes white shirt - for those days when tight is not an option.

Happy Shopping

Jen and Row

www.shimi.com.au

Head Scarves

My beautiful baby boy is now 9 weeks old.  For such a tiny little cherub born, he seems huge now and has started smiling and laughing.  We are all totally in love.  However the one thing that all babies do that I am not so fond of the hair pulling. All my children have done it.  The get hold of my hair and seem to use it as an anchor.

So my hair is always up now and out of reach.  I was searching for a good hair band to keep the front layers out of the way, but finding something that suits me and my head shape is not easy.  I feel that the small head bands are just to young for me, and the wide fabric headbands slowly slip of the back of my head - not a great look.

So I googled and found these great headscarves. http://www.alteredcloth.com/blog/2007/07/how-to-make-a-headband-version-2-the-wide-headband.php Love them, and I can custom make them to suit my mood.

Give them a go.

Jen
www.shimi.com.au

Kensie Top - so very cool

I am a fan on Kensie.  They produce very cool, casual clothing with an edge.

With the thin beige line of fabric through this simple black singlet, it transforms it from ordinary.

Put this top with skinny jeans, tights or even a cute pair of shorts.  A tan jacket with skinny jeans and wedge boots would look amazing.

Happy Shopping

Jen and Row
www.shimi.com.au

Make your own Nursery Wall Hanging

On the theme of babies this week I have found a gorgeous site that shows you how to make your own personalised wall hangings.

Bright and colourful, and quite easy, although I think it would be reasonably time consuming.  A great way to use up little bits of stray materials you may have though.

To find out details on how to make this head to the following link.

http://www.positivelysplendid.com/2011/02/whimsical-nursery-wall-hangings.html

The instruction given are very clear and easy to follow.

Another project to put on the "to do" list.

Jen
www.shimi.com.au

Baby Hat from a T-Shirt

Further to my post of yesterday I have found another use for an old t-shirt - this very cute baby hat.

All my children have used a white sun hat that my grandmother made for her first born, so we are talking 70 years old.  There is not a thing wrong with it either - shows how amazing a sewing my Gran was.

However I really love this little striped hat, and for winter with a little bald baby (like I have) this will come in hand - and there is the added bonus of recycling!

Find this great pattern at http://comeonilene.com/2011/04/20/the-great-striped-shirt-challenge-baby-hats/

Jen and Row
www.shimi.com.au

Mango Fashion

I am still drooling over the brand Mango.


As usual Mango produces chic, stylish fashion with very simple cuts.  This makes the clothing absolutely timeless.

Here are some cute tops we have just discovered.


This cream cami is a beautiful cut and will be an essential in the wardrobe.

Another gorgeous cami to add to the wardrobe

Who can go past a great white t-shirt

A bit of sparkle to make a simple top ping

One more cami, cream again, but slightly different cut.  Either is beautiful

Happy Shopping

Jen and Row
www.shimi.com.au

Our Newest Clutch

This is our newest clutch from Canopy Verde - super stylish.  Unfortuntaly we only have the black left, they are selling out quickly!!  Don't miss out.


The perfect little accessorythat can be carried two ways. Carry it in your hand or wear it folded under your arm. Available in black with fabulous wave embroidery... Love!

Earth-friendly materials construction:
• Organic cotton and bamboo blend fabric and lining
• Leather tanned without harmful chrome
• OEKO-TEX certified dyeing
• Chemical-free embroidery

Additional Features:
• Leather handles
• Front pocket with magnetic enclosure
• Zippered interior pocket

Dimensions:
23cmH x 28cmW open; 12.5cmH x 28cmW folded

Happy Shopping

www.shimi.com.au

Things to do with old T-Shirts

As I have been laments, I am currently holding onto 10 extra kilos of baby weight - yup still 10 as it was at least 4 weeks ago......  Easter isn't helping.

So I had a major meltdown the other day because I couldn't fit into any of my old clothes and promptly bagged them up to give to charity.  They are still sitting in the garage, thank goodness, because there are quite a few things in there that I am sure I will wear on day.

However I did pop in there 4 or 5 t-shirts that I bought a few years back without trying on first and they have always been on the tight side.  But they are very cute, so I thought I could still do something with them.  My first thought was a bag for my daughter and her friends, and then a skirt for her, but that is as far as the thoughts got.

However I came across this great site with lots of ideas.  http://www.dothegreenthing.com/blog/7_things_to_do_with_old_t_shirts

Some I couldn't be bothered doing - like the floor mat, but I like a lot of the ideas.

Have you got some great ideas?

Please share...

Jen
www.shimi.com.au

Bird Mobile - Free Pattern

If you are a following you will hear my bang on about my love of birds.  I must clarify, I like birds, the real thing, but it is all things crafty the revolve around birds that I really love.  And I really hate seeing birds in cages, just quietly.

So I was very excited when I came across this gorgeous site with a free pattern on how to make a Bird Mobile.  Check it out at: http://www.spoolsewing.com/blog/2008/05/16/bird-mobile/

Very simple and sweet, this creator has used lots of Amy Butler fabric which is always super cute.

I am still waiting for my husband to take my sewing machine into one of his clients so they can service it, so this is the perfect project for me being hand sewing.  It is now on my list of things to do, but I must admit I have trouble finding the time to brush my hair at the moment now my new baby has "woken up" a bit.

If you make this, send us in a photo of the finished product, we would LOVE to see it.

www.shimi.com.au

My latest embarrassing moment

Well actually it isn't my latest, but for some reason brain keeps reminded me of it..

Let me first state, I was 8 weeks pregnant, very sick and not in my right mind most of the time.

Not being frequent diner at Maccas I have not idea of the latest meal deal.  Being on holidays we joined in the ritual that my sister has of taking her son to Maccas every Sunday morning.  I got quite excited to see on the breakfast menu a Tall Hash Brown.  If you have experienced morning sickness, it can sometimes be a bit like being hungover, so grease can (not always) be like bread of the gods.  So of course I ordered my "Tall Hash Brown" thinking it would be a super sizes hash brown.  Yum.  The cashier asked me to repeat myself a few times when I asked for my "tall hash brown", but I got it eventually.

Well, it looked the same as a normal hash brown to me.  I ate it anyway.

The following week we did the same.  I again ordered my "tall hash brown".  Again I got asked to repeat my order several times.  I got my has brown.  It looked the same as a normal has brown.

That is because it was a normal sizes hash brown.  There is no such thing as a "tall hash brown".   I was looking at the coffee menu, my brain just decided it wanted a super size hash brown so lets put a tall on front.

Nobody knows me there!

Jen
www.shimi.com.au

I week later

Eating Off The Land

My husband has a new found love of boating and fishing since we moved bayside, and my lovely dad gave us his old tinny.

He has great fun crabbing, not that it is really worth it money wise.  For all the times he has put out the crab pots, filled them with bait, and don't forget the money spent on fuel for the boat, the three crabs we have caught and eaten don't add up to the amount spent.

Lets also take into consideration that neither my husband or myself really enjoy eating an animal that we have just hours before .... killed.  I know we are both just eating it because he caught it and we should.

I think we may leave the crabs for the other fishermen from now on.

Jen
www.shimi.com.au

Canopy Verde - The Environmentally Friendly Handbag

A very sexy little handbag:

A distinctive satchel with leather handles. Embroidered in Natural with an organic wave pattern - simply gorgeous!

Earth-friendly materials & construction:
• Organic cotton and bamboo blend fabric and lining
• Leather tanned without harmful chrome
• OEKO-TEX certified dyeing 
• Chemical-free embroidery

Additional Features:
• Front pocket for small items
• Interior pockets – one zippered, two open for all your accessories

Dimensions: 
36cmW x 41cmH x 10.5cmD

Jen and Row

www.shimi.com.au

Tote - the Bag for Every Occasion

I love a bag that holds EVERYTHING:

Form meets function in this multipurpose oversize tote. Can be used as a beach bag, yoga bag, diaper bag, or travel bag. Lots of pockets inside for anything and everything – snacks, water bottles, diapers, wipes, etc. Available in Natural.

Earth-friendly materials & construction:
• Organic cotton and bamboo blend fabric and lining
• Leather tanned without harmful chrome
• OEKO-TEX certified dyeing 
• Chemical-free embroidery

Additional Features:
• Four elasticized pockets on the inside plus one zippered pocket 
• Two exterior side pockets
• Open back pocket for magazines and newspapers
• Wooden “feet” on bottom panel
• Organic cotton fabric cleans easily with water & soap

Dimensions: 
36cmH x 38cmW x 14cmD

Check it out now at www.shimi.com.au

Jen and Row

www.shimi.com.au

Ita Buttrose

How amazing was that woman.

I have a new found appreciation for her.  Not many woman in the 60s-70s would have found the strength to have an amazing career and raise a family... on her own.  Not only would it have been physically exhausting but think of the pressure from society to do the traditional thing of staying at home with the children.

Paper Giants.  The Birth of Cleo  was a very interesting watch.

Jen
www.shimi.com.au

Canopy Verde - Willow Bowler bag

We are so excited to bring to you the Canopy Verde range of bags, from New York. This Willow Bowler is an updated version of the classic bowler.

I would use this bag as an all-rounder. Its great for a day out as it would hold a water bottle, some snacks, wallets and much more. Its really roomy inside. Great if you have small children where you need to carry wipes, nappies etc but don't want a big bulky bag - and want style!!! 

Fantastic with a simple tshirt, a great pair of jeans and brown boots. ...  

Earth-friendly materials & construction:
• Organic cotton and bamboo blend fabric and lining
• Leather tanned without harmful chrome
• OEKO-TEX certified dyeing
• Chemical-free embroidery

Additional Features:
• Front pocket for small items
• Open back pocket for magazines and newspapers
• Interior pockets – one zippered, two open for all your accessories
• Wooden “feet” on bottom panel

Go to Shimi to see the full range of Canopy Verde bags we now stock!

Mango Collection

When I see the brand Mango I actually think of my daughter.  For some reason my dad nicknames her whilst I was pregnant with her Mango...  We still call her that occasionally, so it holds a bit of a special place for me.

Therefore I was pleasantly surprised when I found this gorgeous brand.  It is full of lovely little dresses that are soft, casual and cut beautifully.

This is one of my favourites styles.  Stylish colours, great fit, not tight (I do not do tight...), v-neck which I think is flattering on all figures, and a little belt to show off that waist.

Very nautical, great length, perfect work dress.

For something a little different, this casual dress would be great for any occasion.

I can never go past a shirt dress.  This colour is so fresh.

Soft and comfortable ... and no ironing needed.  Love a dress that doesn't need me to pull out the iron.

Another non-ironing dress.  Stripes are always a chic look, and pockets in a dress are a timeless detail.

Cute little sun cover-up dress.  What a great colour.

This dress is really special.  So feminine and flirty.

These dresses are a great price also.  Don't miss you chance to check them out.

Happy Shopping

Jen and Row

www.shimi.com.au

Aryn K Dresses

Aryn K always produces gorgeous designs.

We have picked a few beautiful items for our Shimi Amazon Store.

The dresses range from Formal Dresses like this gorgeous peach and white maxi dress to more casual dresses.


The beauty of Aryn K designs is that they are so versatile.  This maxi dress could be dresses up.  It would be beautiful with just a single diamond pendant and a classy pair of heels.  Or, dress is down with a great pair of sandals and some chunky jewellery.

Again this dress is versatile. Work or a night out.

Another work dress

For a casual day out

A sexy take on the romantic look

Soft fabric adds a casual look to this maxi

A classic shift dress.

Cute

Soft and flowing for that great beach look.

Happy Shopping 

Jen and Row

www.shimi.com.au

I Can Do Anything

This post is going to sound a little snobby.  Don't get me wrong, I know what a lucky woman I am.  I have three gorgeous healthy children, a really great, generous and loving husband and a wonderful family (we have a few loonies but it wouldn't be a proper family if there wasn't a weird uncle in there somewhere).    And I am a stay at home mum, a role that fits me.  I spent all my working life pre-kids just going through the motions.  I've worked in insurance brokers, fashion agencies, and restaurants and I climbed the ladder so to speak in each of these industries, however I was always just going through the motions.  I have a great work ethic (as I think most of my generation do) which is why I did well in these jobs, but I was never really happy.

So, where am I going with this....

It dawned on me yesterday when I was watching an episode of Grey's Anatomy.

I can do anything.

The episode if you're a Grey's fan was the one when Christina went fishing.  Watching her pose for a photo of this huge fish was a bit of a moment for me.  It made me think, wow, I could be a fisher...woman if I wanted to - I don't but I could if I wanted to.  I am lucky to have a supportive husband and if that was the path I choose to follow he would go and buy me the fishing rod.

It is quite a strange feeling suddenly realising that the world is my oyster.  I have always needed some control over my life, and therefore could never quite give in to the idea of not contributing financially to my family.  I still, and I think healthily, can't conform to the idea that I am totally reliant on my husband.

So that is part of the reason why I started Shimi with Row.  To make a business that helps support our family and I guess gives me a sense of pride.  We are not there yet with the business but we are working hard to make it a success.  However who's to say I can't have success in other areas.

So I have struck Fisher woman off the list, but there are a million paths I can follow.

Do you have this sense of freedom for yourself?  Did you follow your dream?  Tell us your story.

Jen
www.shimi.com.au

Shoes to start a girl's collection

My girlfriend recently had a baby girl.  She is absolutely precious.  




We gave her these precious little baby shoes to start off her shoe collection - every girl needs to start somewhere.




These baby shoes are hand made by Lisa Renee Vintage.

Reminds us of springtime! Glorious flowers - time for fun, sun and friends! A variety of colours means that this beautiful girls shoe will match plenty of outfits! The inside is lined with a soft polar fleece. Sticky dots on larger shoes for walking.

Available in two styles:
Mary Jane: High cut at back of ankle with elastic across the top of the foot. (This style is featured in the photo).

Full shoe: Full fit shoe with elastic around the ankle to hold baby's foot in securely.

These are a gorgeous gift for any new baby, and they stay on unlike most baby shoes.

If you have a gift to buy for a new baby, Shimi can gift wrap and send directly to the new mamma.

Happy Shopping

Jen and Row

www.shimi.com.au