Advertise on our Blog for free.

Are you like us?  A small business struggling to drive traffic to your site.  We need all the ideas and help we can get.

Row and I have been in business now for 2 years, and whilst we love what we do, it is a continual struggle to get new customers.  Online businesses have so many benefits, but with these benefits come some difficulties and getting new traffic is one of them.

I am continually researching new ways to get new blog followers and facebook fans and I came across an interesting one today that I actually feel comfortable with (I always have issues with self-promoting ourselves).  This idea was swapping free advertising.  I love the idea because not only are we working towards building our followers, but we are helping other business in the same position as ourselves.

So with that, if you are a small business in the fashion, arts, design or craft industry, we would like to offer you some free advertising on our blog and facebook page.  Perhaps you could then do the same for us.  Simply right us a blog about you and your business including links and we will post the blog on our blog, twitter about the blog and your business, and also post an entry on our facebook page.  Hopefully we can generate some new followers for you!

Look forward to hearing from you.

Jen and Row
www.shimi.com.au

Calming Down with Essential Oils

Well after my rant about Pru Goward I do need to calm down a little.


I am a regular user of Essential Oils to enhance an atmosphere or mood.  I am very protective of my mental health so whenever I feel a little down I have a few simple things that I do to chance that mood.


Firstly :  Listen to some good music.  Well many people wouldn't call my choice of music GOOD, but if I put on a bit of Xanadu and belt out a few tunes, life is peachy.


Secondly : Dress nicely.  When feeling blue, I dress in something that makes me feel womanly and pretty, even if I am just sitting at home with the kids.  


Thirdly : Make-up.  Not much, just a bit of lippy, maybe some mascara, and I do my her.  Again, just to make me feel pretty.


Lastly : Light a few candles or get the oil burner going.  I love my house smelling nice, it makes me happy.

Jewell has introduced the most divine smelling candle - Lemongrass! Made from vegetable wax from the oil of soybeans. It burns cleanly - without the soot of a parafin candle - and slowly, so you get more for your money. Non toxic and is a by product of the soy industry, is completely renewable, therefore environmentally friendly.

Hand poured in Melbourne.

'Lemongrass candle is very uplifting and stimulating which can create a feeling of motivation'.

How do you get yourself in a good mood?

Happy Shopping

Jen and Row

www.shimi.com.au

Jackie O like Michael Jackson??

What an absolute joke this is:

http://news.ninemsn.com.au/entertainment/8232101/jackie-o-endangered-her-baby-minister

Pru Goward has joined in on the Mother Bashing that has been the Jackie O story comparing Jackie O feeding her baby via bottle whilst crossing a street to Michael Jackson dangling his baby over a balcony ledge.

Hope you feel good about yourself Pru Goward.  I'm sure you have made one new mother feel absolutely defeated in her mothering attempt.  I feel sick for Jackie O that she has to put up with this media beat up, so I cannot imagine how she feels.  It is hard enough venturing into motherhood for the first time without some opinionated politician commenting on an issue that has nothing to do with her.

My opinion on Pru Goward has just fallen through the flour.

Jen
www.shimi.com.au

French Connection - New Dresses

With autumn here (for our Australian followers) we are starting to push the summer clothes to the back of the wardrobe and bring out the warmer clothing.

Here are a few new dresses from French Connection to whet your appetite, all available in our Shimi Amazon store.

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Lovely dress for those a little shape concience.  Pulled in at the waist to give definition, but flowing to cover any bumps we don't want seen.

Very cute mini dress.  What a fabulous colour.

Follow the hollywood trend and go for the bandage dress.  

A little black dress will take you anywhere.

Love a bit of detail on a dress?

Great Autumn Dress.

A great Maxi Dress, just pop on a cardigan for those cooler days.

Bit of a frill - What Fun.

Great dress for winter.  Imagine with a great pair of boots.

Amazing Colour sets off a simple design.

My favourite dress. So simple, chic and sexy.  For winter, add a fab jacket and brave the cold in the name of fashion.

Happy shopping.

Jen and Row

www.shimi.com.au

Breastfeeding

First let me start by saying this ISN'T a post to preach to woman that they should breastfeed and they will send their child into the internal depths of doom if they don't.  However I do love breastfeeding (it is not the be all and end all though people, many of us have survived on formula - my being one of them!).

Again to clarify, not so much the actual act of breastfeeding, although it is a lovely way to bond with my child.

Why do I love it:

• In the middle of the night when baby wakes for a feed, all I have to do is whip out the old boob and feed him.  No sterilizing.  Yah.
• I don't have to organise bottles, formula, etc before I go out.  My nappy bag stays packed with all the essentials and all I have to do is grab it, and the baby and go.
• I know what my son is getting in his milk.
• This one is very selfish, but I am allowing myself to be so seeings as though this is my last child - I don't have to share my baby with anyone for that brief period.

What I don't love about breastfeeding:

• One Boob is always bigger then the other.

Jen

www.shimi.com.au

Clutch for Autumn

With Autumn here (although you wouldn't know it in Queensland) the warmer tones are starting to hit the shops.


Chocolate is always a part of the seasons colour tone.


Myoriginalsin has catered to that and has made the most gorgeous brown and floral clutch.  

Gorgeous brown clutch, complete with floral pleated fabric. The floral has slight touches of gold in it. Gorgeous shades of blue, olive green and pink, with a lining surprise!

Also has a small internal pocket for your lippy or cards.

Approximate Size - 25 cm x 13 cm.

Happy Shopping

Jen and Row

www.shimi.com.au

Never thought I wouldn't like shopping

I went shopping today and I came home utterly depressed and could not wait to get out of the shops. 

I am (thanks to my gorgeous baby) currently 10kgs over my normal weight and at 5'2 that changes my body shape quite dramatically.

I'm not overly worried, but it does make dressing a bit hard at the moment.  I do NOT want to even look at my maternity clothing - 5 months of wearing the same things non stop is enough for me.  Plus nothing fits quite right and I just feel ... well, messy.  And I cannot yet fit into any of my old clothes.

We are going on holidays next week with some friends so I thought it quite prudent to have something to wear when we join the cafe society instead of milk stained sloppy t-shirts.  So the family and I ventured to DFO.  I suggested to my husband during the week that I needed to go shopping on the weekend (thinking he would kindly agree to look after the kids) and he got very excited at the idea and decided we will ALL go shopping.  Oh JOY!

I have to say the kids were all very good, especially the little ones.  Well, one is only 5 weeks old so as long as he has a boob handy (mine preferably) he is happy.  The second was at the lovely stage of tiredness where he has not hit the "I'm so tired I am going to make life hell for everyone" and has eased out of the "I am not tired at all and shall bounce around the shops like a ping pong ball" stage.  The older one is absolutely in love with the baby, so she spent all her time fighting with me about who would push the pram, of course she won (really there wasn't much of a battle, I will cope with NOT pushing a pram for a few hours).  With this she ran into walls, clothing racks and the like.  She stopped in the middle of the isle to check on her brother, put his dummy back in, cover his little legs with a blanket, etc.  All very sweet, but probably only to me and husband, not the fellow shoppers being held up by a little girl with a huge pram.

Anyway, all in all the morning was fun, however I only came away with a couple of shirts of the faulty rack.  After that I had had enough and just wanted to go home.  So I now not only do not have any clothes to take on holidays that I would like to be seen in, I have to find time to pull out the sewing machine and mend the faulty clothes I just spent money on...

Jen
www.shimi.com.au