The Organic Mamas

See mama here.....

2012-01-23T13:41:00.000-08:00

Mama is going to make a few more appearances around the place this year.....

First up is the Boutique Markets in March

I'm really excited to be going and they gave me a nice little mention over here

Just because......

2012-01-15T13:52:00.000-08:00

The Oprah of the crafting world......

2012-01-08T21:10:00.000-08:00

I feel like I just had my Oprah moment.....ok, that may be a little exaggerated but....

just before Christmas, my Bloom cushion appeared on the front page of Etsy.

I know............ETSY !!

so excited, and here's the proof

and many thanks to jan from daisy janie for sharing my happiness and excitement across the seas !!

sale time....over at my made it store

2012-01-05T14:38:00.000-08:00

yes sir-ee ...its sale time on selected items over at madeit...

25-30% off .....

mama x

Christmas hours......and holiday time

2011-12-13T15:31:00.000-08:00

hello friends

just a reminder that mama's last day for shipping orders will be

this friday 16th december

we will be re-opening on tuesday 4th january, 2012

and another all aussie treaury..........

2011-12-11T21:05:00.000-08:00

'Hello, Australia (part 2)' by pocketcarnival

Orange Lace Flowers... lesalikes $27.00	1950's notecard... PigeonPieDesig... $24.00	Organic Cotton Swan... ELKandINA $45.00
Organic Cotton Bloo... theorganicmama... $59.00	Handbag in orange f... SeedSewn $44.00	Vintage Coat - Teal... PIPandPEPPER $64.00
Cute Children's... honeycup $16.00	Blue Plaid Stickers... percivalroad $1.25	Marine kinetic mobi... pukapuka $170.00
pencil case in orga... CloudLoveBaby $14.00	Wall Decals Clouds ... lovemaestore $60.00	Orange Bobby Pins C... JewelryDeli $13.00
Designer Blue Flora... PenelopeRed $140.00	Graph Paper Cushion... spinspin $47.00	Sea Fan in Tangerin... driftwoodinter... $25.00
Vintage light blue ... JulesAtelier $74.00

Treasury tool by Red Row Studio.

a bright and sunny etsy start to the week......

2011-12-11T12:15:00.000-08:00

another lovely treasury featuring our bloom pillow

'Dancing The Tango With Other Colors' by Gem2thei

vtg heavy beaded hi... yourvintagesol... $22.00	Painted wood fish f... oldbutlovely $5.50	Vintage Japanese Gl... EpochBeads $5.50
Organic Cotton Bloo... theorganicmama... $59.00	Lot of 3 Sheer Nylo... TotallyScarves $9.95	1980s Orange and Re... GlamAmor $160.00
Multi Culti Snakesk... SLSvintage $36.00	1865 Simply Stunnin... bananastrudel $50.00	Vintage embroidered... CharmingIsabel... $8.00
Vintage Orange Flow... SwanVintageFin... $14.00	1896 BUTTERFLY Chro... BlastsFromTheP... $13.75	Vintage Pomegranate... BettyandJuneSh... $12.00
Breakfast in Bed Vi... OopsyGirl $18.00	Cyber Monday Etsy E... StarScarves $13.00	Canvas Print - Mode... FradetFineArt $135.00
Huge Bold Spots of ... inji $15.00

Treasury tool by Red Row Studio.

hello blue caravan !!

2011-12-06T20:43:00.000-08:00

mama's footstool appearing in bluecaravan's gift guides today....

Christmas totes !!

2011-12-03T14:13:00.000-08:00

limited edition, super exclusive, get it now....

from here and here

proud mama.

2011-11-30T20:33:00.000-08:00

this morning i woke up and saw that mama and 2 of mama's friends had made the front page of

madeit.com.au picks for an eco-christmas....

our licorice jubilee cushion cover was featured along with our bestie birchseed's fabric brooch and the newest member of mama's family idealiza and her awesome spiral tote.

here's a dodgy screenshot of mama and her chicks.....so proud

and while we are at it, don't forget to buy handmade this christmas

hellooooooo melbourne !!

2011-11-28T20:04:00.000-08:00

well, the organic mamas continues its eastern seaboard tour on the blue caravan caravan...

you can see our wares on the blue caravan stand at this weekend's

Fair@Square Fair Trade + Ethical Festival

which kicks off this Friday 2nd December through to Sunday 4th December at

Melbourne's Federation Square

have a look here for all the amazing things that are happening

Mrs Footstool......The After........

2011-11-22T19:28:00.000-08:00

awesome!

you can buy it at one village right now

go!

one village....one love....

2011-11-15T22:27:00.000-08:00

i've just returned from a glorious couple of hours with jo and her absolutely divine shop

one village at riverview, sydney

we had a ball creating her newest shop window display together

she has the most beautiful shop filled to the brim with ethically made, organic, fair trade and environmentally friendly clothes, gifts, homewares, children's clothing, absolutely everything

the shop truly gets more gorgeous each time i pay a visit

it makes christmas shopping a breeze.......

so hurry over there and see some of the things mama has been working on over the last few weeks: gorgeous armchairs, footstools and eye pillows filled with certified organic lavender..mmmmm...heaven.

a little somethin' somethin'.............

2011-11-13T18:36:00.000-08:00

mama is flat out this week in her little creative studio....

here's another sneek peek at a little somethin' i'm working on....

mrs footstool is going to be real pretty

stay tuned for more details

more etsy love.....

2011-11-09T17:28:00.000-08:00

while i'm busy in the studio making all sorts of goodies (which i will unveil next week)

here's another treasury that the mamas have been featured in...

yellow and raspberry go so well together, don't you think?

and that whale tissue box has got my name all over it.

'yellow/raspberry' by littlebirdiela

Pom Pom Trim-Lemon ... frogfeathers $2.89	Watercolor Fashion ... JessicaIllustr... $25.00	The feather forest ... frumafar $20.00
Whale Tissue Holder... gnomesweeeetgn... $39.99	Sunflower Yellow Oc... minthome $135.00	Vintage Glass Bead ... BumbershootSup... $5.00
Ceramic Pig Planter... fruitflypie $29.99	Vintage 1960s Butte... TheSplendidSui... $34.00	Organic Cotton Wee ... theorganicmama... $59.00
Vintage 1960s Dress... LeMollusque $36.00	FOUR // bumpy and c... wulsi $40.00	Red Macarons photog... SonjaCaldwell $10.00
SALE - Raspberry Lo... suryadesigns $25.00	girly felt birds mo... PrettyPlush $57.00	Raspberry High Lacq... FabulousPieces $499.00
150 Raspberry Strip... HeyYoYo $24.00

Treasury tool by Red Row Studio.

Brisbane Finders Keepers - see the mamas there!

2011-11-01T20:41:00.000-07:00

We are super excited to announce that the organic mamas will be at the

brisbane finders keepers markets this weekend...!!!

the awesome jen from blue caravan invited us to submit our products for sale at the blue caravan stand - we are beyond super excited to be sharing the space with some truly gorgeous artists and makers.

The markets will be held at the beautiful Old Museum next to the RNA showgrounds in Brisbane.

and you can find the blue caravan stand at A13

more info here:

and here's a few of our friends that you may purchase:

a little freshen up......

2011-10-31T22:16:00.000-07:00

thanks to katrina over at the media maid, the old girl mama has had a little freshen up in the powder room.

that is all.

Another etsy treasury....

2011-10-30T16:25:00.000-07:00

now that I have discovered how to post a complete etsy treasury (with links!) I can feature more!! oops - even though the layout is a little bit funny

here's another beautiful one from etsy seller The Frosted Petticoat starring our glimmer cushion cover

'Modern Moon' by TheFrostedPetticoat

Striped skirt J056 JulyS $59.00	Gold Plated Stars C... JemsbySandi $22.00	6 4 x 6 Envelopes /... PipingHotPaper... $6.00
Brown Bracelet upcy... SmiLeaGainCrea... $6.00	Birds wall decals, ... CherryWalls $29.00	Autumn Jewelry - Ha... Newfinitee $4.50
Rustic set of two w... KnottyNotions $7.99	Men scarf knit wool... zolayka $50.00	Happy Fox Scarf, Sp... crochetlab $58.00
Faux River Stone Cr... ArigigiArt $30.00	EARRINGS POSTS - Am... KalliasWonderl... $20.00	Bangel mustard yell... SunnyGarden $13.50
Organic Cotton Glim... theorganicmama... $59.00	Handmade Brick Red ... angelafrankief... $34.00	Origami lotus flowe... MlleMimi $7.50
Mustard Seed Neckla... proteales $25.00

Treasury tool by Red Row Studio.

a collage homage to the red love heart......

2011-10-27T13:54:00.000-07:00

take yours home now from here...

Loving this treasury....

2011-10-26T18:24:00.000-07:00

the colours are so gorgeous and warm and happy....and there's our honey and raspberry butterfly cushion too!!

'Mod Pink and Yellow' by DutchTouchBeads

Chunky Statement b... whimsicaljewel... $89.00	40% off sale coupon... perniejaynevin... $62.00	New natural color r... Akamatra $15.00
Cozy Crossroads - P... JoinMyView $15.00	Pink Collar Scarfl... anils $32.00	Rainbow little hair... VeraCreations $3.00
Vintage Cream and S... VintageSoup $12.50	The Mod Hostess Sta... highteaforalic... $200.00	Light Bright Frame ... kailochic $32.00
Wall hanging - pink... oktak $44.00	Raspberry Lemonade ... MysticWynd $11.95	Cheeky cap, Great Q... EllaGajewska $40.00
Mod flower- Floral ... michals $42.00	Organic Cotton Butt... theorganicmama... $59.00	Vintage 1960s Mod M... aiseirigh $68.00
Mod Posies (handmad... TessaAnn $6.75

Treasury tool by Red Row Studio.

My business....summed up in 6 photos

2011-10-13T03:12:00.000-07:00

Before and happily ever after.........

2011-09-28T20:49:00.000-07:00

well, i've just picked up a gorgeous pre-loved retro armchair

one that i am going to reupholster

very soon

is this like a haiku ??

anyway, here is the before

stay tuned for the after - but give me a month....

Living in Sydney ???

2011-09-21T01:06:00.000-07:00

well hop on over to our newest family member

One Village

59A Tambourine Bay Rd, Riverview (next door to Lane Cove)

and purchase one of our beautiful cushions like this one:

or one of our Birchseed blockprinted bags like this one:

oh, don't forget to say hi from mama.

how to save 25 drink bottles from going to land fill.....................

2011-09-14T21:15:00.000-07:00

by buying one of the organic mamas recycled P.E.T. plastic bottle cushion inserts - wow!that's right - each of our inserts save a whopping 25 bottles going to landfill. so head on over to our main homewares shop and buy one or two.....and maybe a cover to go with it.and to celebrate this amazing fact, you can get 25% off your orderby putting in the secret code save25 at the checkout for the next 7 days (expires 22nd Sept).

what are you waiting for ??

How much fabric do I need to cover this chair ?

2011-09-06T23:41:00.000-07:00

well, wonder no longer...

i found the following chart on fabric guru about 6 months ago and saved it in a "safe place".

today, i found that safe place and here it is for you to enjoy - how awesome is it?

bear in mind it is in yards (1 yard = 0.91m) and it is based on fabric that is 54 inches wide (1.37m) and it doesn't allow for pattern repeats...but it does give you a bit of an idea.

image from fabricguru

New in mama's shops.................

2011-09-04T00:50:00.000-07:00

super limited - so that means they are very exclusive, almost one of a kind

get 'em while they're hot hot hot !!!

madeit and etsy

On its way....Shades of Grey

2011-08-18T23:35:00.000-07:00

soon to be appearing in our shop

Daisy Janie's Shades of Grey

The Mamas + Birchseed = Love

2011-08-05T15:07:00.000-07:00

Our newest collaboration from TheOrganicMamas & Birchseed

It is true love.......
AND NOW FOR SALE IN OUR SHOP

in the shop soon - i'll let you know

mama x

AND NOW FOR SALE IN OUR SHOP

Say hi to mama here on sunday......

2011-07-31T23:30:00.000-07:00

Delight-ful Wallpaper

2011-07-21T17:05:00.000-07:00

One of my most favourite clients (let's call her Mrs D) has sent me through the end result of a weekend of do-it-yourself wallpaper hanging...........and I am in awe. She did it HERSELF !!! ie no well qualified wallpaper hangers involved. When I sent her her Delight Wallpaper order, I sent EXPLICIT instructions - DO NOT HANG IT YOURSELF !!!! But my favourite client is not one to conform - HA! One late Sunday night she sent me through some photos of her project at various stages of completion and I really could not rest until I received confirmation that the project was complete. My mouth is still agape at what a fantastic job she has done. Mod Green Pod's Delight vinyl-free wallpaper is such a perfect fit for her amazing contemporary home. So without further ado....I am pleased to introduce Mrs D's entry feature wall..........just gorgeous.

(By the way, Mod Green Pod is currently having a hiatus in production of their amazing wallpaper, but I think if we all wish upon a few shooting stars, Nancy from MGP will resume production of this beautiful design and more).

I'm back and I'm cold.................

2011-07-18T18:02:00.000-07:00

I want to be back here......

a little mama time....

2011-07-06T15:51:00.000-07:00

mama is having a little mama-time, yes, a holiday. our shops are still open - although purchases won't be shipped until 19th july. in the meantime, enjoy the view....

ps more new cushions coming soon from skinny la minx - my hero (via cloud 9 designer series)

sunshine please!

2011-06-15T01:51:00.000-07:00

this is what its like when its sunny - in case anyone in sydney has forgotten..........well, it would look like this if we had wheat fields in the CBD.

new covers on their way.....

2011-06-09T20:43:00.000-07:00

i'm bunkered down in the studio making some new covers.......

they'll be in the shop next week.

more cushion awesomeness!!!

2011-06-07T23:31:00.000-07:00

yes sir-ee, we've got a super cool new insert in stock as an alternative to our corn fibre ones.

recycled PET drink bottle inserts - WOW!

corn fibre on the cover, recycled drink bottles on the inside

machine washable

super cuddly

just as awesome as our corn inserts - same mama price

head on over to our textile/homewares shop and check them out

here's a before and after montage.....

Anticiapte no longer (Part 2)...

2011-05-28T23:39:00.000-07:00

Our new Anticipate cushions are now available in our textiles/homewares store, blue caravan and madeit

go forth and conquer!

Another supermodel.....

2011-05-23T19:49:00.000-07:00

can you believe i paid $5 for this beauty.......

soon to be featured modelling the latest edition to the organic mamas store.

Its the super of the future.....

2011-05-18T22:26:00.000-07:00

We are currently going through The Process of designing and building a fairly 'green' new home. Its a Process that to date has taken over a year but really the planning has been in our heads for at least 5 years.....its was always going to be a 5 year plan and that was 8 years ago. Anyway, to keep my enthusiasm alive while the planning process is happening, I have started weekly 'observation' trips to our local op-shops/thrift stores/second hand places and every now and then I snag a bargain.
Like this:

We plan on furnishing alot of our new home with pre-loved furniture - items that already have a history to add to our family's history - so its an investment in the future by going back to the past.........

Inspiration everywhere....

2011-05-10T23:18:00.000-07:00

the armchairs of the world are conspiring against me.....

everywhere i look, i see them waiting to be taken home and re-covered in something organic and gorgeous.

this beauty i spotted having a quiet moment under a tree at our local park......

he looked so regal there, gazing out over the oval, keeping an eye on the children.

i had a quick chat with him. he was quite happy to stay there, he didn't need a lift home......

Biodegradable cushion inserts !!

2011-04-16T15:35:00.000-07:00

Yes - we have our corn fibre cushion inserts for sale in the shop. Biodegradable corn fibre inside and out. Low flammability, washable, cuddly, springy, yummy. Now's the time to grab some Mod Green Pod fabric and make your own cushion - or you can buy one mama's already made for you !

Some more fabric inspiration.......

2011-04-06T23:19:00.000-07:00

all photos from mod green pod

head over to our fabric shop for our super duper fabric sale !!!

40% off MOD GREEN POD - get it while you can!!

2011-04-04T21:23:00.000-07:00

hello fellow organic cotton lovers,

its a huge mod green pod clearance sale - get it while it lasts!!

head over to our fabric shop NOW!!!!
maybe make an ottoman like this from design*sponge...

OYSTER.....MUSTARD....anticipate no longer, its here......

2011-03-21T18:51:00.000-07:00

buy it here and now

Want to design your own fabrics ???

2011-02-13T16:44:00.000-08:00

Me too !!! Stay tuned for more info about this design and others........

Crafting a Green World - yee ha !!

2011-02-08T18:00:00.000-08:00

The Mamas are so happy (and honoured!) to let you know we had a lovely article written about our gorgeous textiles (and a little bit about us) by the lovely Becky Striepe over at Crafting a Green World (!). Maybe that's enough exclamation marks and parentheses (!!!!) but we are SUPER excited. Go and check it out here.

BIRCHseed collaboration.....

2011-01-24T14:22:00.000-08:00

The Mamas are super duper excited to announce an awesome collaboration with the wonderful Nikki from BIRCHseed. Nikki is based in Murwillumbah and creates one-of-a-kind textiles and handmade products through the artful process of block printing. Her method of block-printing textiles by hand allows the time and space to SLOW down and enjoy an artful process whilst being a stay at home mum. Her principles resonated with me and when she suggested we team up for a few projects.........

Well, she had me at hello!! So our first project(s) together are the super-eco cushions teaming Nikki's apple and pear designs with our Mod Green Pod Basil and Cherry Atticus prints - all on organic cotton of course. Just gorgeous - a true perfect match!!

yes, i need to pay my fave photographer a visit!!

You can purchase these lovely cushions from BIRCHseed's shop and THE ORGANIC MAMA's shop.

Be sure to check out Nikki's other extremely gorgeous items too!!

Like this chook softie......

The difference a professional makes..........

2011-01-11T02:45:00.000-08:00

Maybe I shouldn't write this post - because it shows up my complete and utter inadequacies when it comes to photography........but on a positive note, it will show how much difference a professional photographer can make to your product. So, ladies and gentlemen, may I present to you the before shot.......(by me)

and, through the magical lens of Rich, the professional, the after.....

I rest my case.

Class dismissed.

oh, you can buy them here and here.

Happy New Year and all of that

2011-01-09T21:31:00.000-08:00

I'm back - still in holiday mode - but refreshed, re-inspired, relaxed and all the other "re-" words! I'm really excited about the year ahead and here's a few exciting dot points....

a January sale - yay!
some 'adjusted exchange rate' prices in our textiles shop - woo!
lots of new handmade products - hoo!
and a REALLY exciting collaboration - woo hoo and double yay !

And in the meantime time, here's my current footwear of choice (besides my Saltwater sandals)....

A Very Merry Mama Christmas!

2010-12-22T13:56:00.000-08:00

Wishing everyone a wonderfully happy and safe Christmas - thank you to all who stopped in, left a comment and visited mama's stores - it's been a great and exciting year and mama is looking forward to a huge 2011.

And for those of you who can't resist purchasing some more of mama's wares over the next few weeks.....I will be here and shipping out orders but just dressed in a bikini.

Merry Christmas!

Love Mama x

Christmas Caramels

2010-12-19T15:13:00.000-08:00

Instead of the usual store bought chocolates to give to the neighbours this year, I have decided to make my mum's caramels......yum. Never done it before but mum reckons 'they're easy'. Every recipe she has in her collection has a little history - whether it's Mrs Dorn's chocolate cake or Aunty Norma's Anzacs, they have been lovingly shared along the way. Except for the caramels....written in my oldest sister's handwriting, the origin of the recipe has been lost to history so I was bold enough to re-name them Mum's Caramels and hopefully they will look like these.....

image from here

MUM'S CARAMELS

125g butter
250g brown sugar
1 can of condensed milk
2 tablespoons of golden syrup

Melt butter in a saucepan and then add the rest of the ingredients and bring to boil.

Keep boiling and stirring for 15 minutes or until the mixture leaves the sides of the saucepan.

Pour the mixture into a greased slab/slice tin. Set aside to cool.

When cooled, cut and wrap in baking paper. Try to leave some for gifts !!

Christmas Shipping Deadlines !!!

2010-12-16T14:23:00.000-08:00

Well, today is probably the last day of regular Australia Post shipping for your goodies to arrive in time for the Big Red man. If you would kindly like to upgrade to Express Post (and you live on the Express Post network), then we can probably stretch it to Tuesday.......and if you live in Sydney and care for a drive to the beautiful Northern Beaches - you can pick up right until Chrissy Eve. And that concludes my Christmas Shipping announcement. Normal programming will now resume.

happy shopping !!

Christmas Market - Thursday 16th Dec - Come and say hi to mama !!

2010-12-14T16:14:00.000-08:00

Yes, that's right - come and see mama in person at the gorgeous Mosman Night Christmas Market between 4.30 and 9pm this Thursday night. And yes, I will let you touch my gorgeous cushions.....and other wares. There'll even be some Christmas 'Specials'. Hope to see you there.

Cushions galore.....

2010-12-10T00:49:00.000-08:00

Just letting you know that I have been sewing up a storm in my little caravan studio and there are even more cushions for sale in my blue caravan store or my made it store.

Some of my favourites are there like these beauties...

have a happy weekend

FREE Fruit and Vegie PDF Pattern - yay!

2010-12-08T16:06:00.000-08:00

I know - I am a day late.......plus I was trying to figure out the best way to distribute this pattern. And I figure the easiest is for me to email it out to you, dear reader. So if you would LOVE a FREE PDF pattern from the super talented designer of Daisy Janie Fabrics, Jan DiCintio, then email me at: mel@theorganicmamas.com and I'll send it to you....Merry Christmas !!!

Free fruit and vegie bag pattern coming today !!!

2010-12-07T12:57:00.000-08:00

Thanks to the amazing Jan from Daisy Janie, super designer extraordinaire, I'll be posting a super-easy pattern for DIY fruit and vegie bags...haven't got time right now - got to make the school lunches.....................

New Fabric Line - introducing Daisy Janie !!

2010-11-27T20:35:00.000-08:00

So excited to announce a new fabric line in The Mamas family, the gorgeous and supremely hip Daisy Janie. 100% GOTS certfied organic mid-weight cotton and fantastic to sew with. Well, within minutes of arriving, I ripped open the packaging and started whipping up some of The Mamas super eco-pillows that you can purchase here (shameless advertising plug). GOTS certification requires that the producer/manufacturer must maintain organic standards as well as a minimum social criteria including that:
* employment is Freely Chosen
* freedom of association and right to collective bargaining
* working conditions are safe and hygienic
* child labor is not used
* living wages are paid
* working hours are not excessive
* no discrimination is practiced
* regular employment provided
* no harsh or inhumane treatment is allowed
So without further ado, let me introduce the newest four members of The Mamas family.....

All of the new line of fabrics (and all of the other ones too!) are available now, ready for shipping at The Mamas textile shop - where its free shipping always (Australia-wide).

The greenest cushion of them all....

2010-11-25T21:05:00.000-08:00

Want a handmade, eco-friendly, sustainable, low-allergenic, 45cm x 45cm (generous and plump for eco-cuddling) cushion ?? Then head over to here and purchase some !! Hurry, hurry !!

Here are the cushions having a break between photoshoots....

I've been busy......

2010-11-23T02:36:00.000-08:00

busy creating what has to be the greenest pillows ever..............organic cotton covers and biodegradable corn inserts on the inside. these are my very amateurish photos (complete with smudge on lens) but was so excited by my super duper eco pillow that I couldn't wait for my super professional photographer to take some snaps. so i took some this morning........

and many more....soon to be featured and for sale in my shops.

More news........too much excitement around here!!

2010-11-09T14:21:00.000-08:00

In the next week I should have even more exciting news to share. Another hint......

that's all I am saying...........

Exciting news from The Mamas.......

2010-11-04T14:01:00.000-07:00

But you will just have to wait.......

Just a hint.....

Worldwide Fabric Shortage Alert !!!

2010-11-02T02:51:00.000-07:00

A quick post to inform you of a world wide shortage of Bloom (no !!! my favourite is going), Grand Jubilee Chocolate and Aspire. So if you were considering purcasing any of these fine fabrics, make haste because once they are gone, they are gone..................sob.

Super Saturday Sale Time - Textiles !!!!

2010-10-29T15:08:00.000-07:00

It's super Saturday sale time again and have I got a deal for you !!

A massively huge discount off our 3 favourite children's textiles. Let me introduce to you:

Miss Tickled Pink

Mr Cloud 9

And the enchanted forest

super super soft certified organic cotton twill - unbelieveably soft - perfect for anything 'children' - quilts, cushions, chairs - and printed with water-based, heavy-metal-free pigments to GOTS standards.

usually $49 per metre, super saturday price.......$33 per metre. And no minimum order requirements. Order by the 0.1m....yay!

buy it now from here

oh - and free shipping. have i gone mad?.....YES I HAVE !!!

Handmade by Mama......

2010-10-19T13:44:00.000-07:00

I started this year (or was it last year ???) promising myself to buy as many handmade gifts as possible. I have sort of stuck to this pledge - well, kind of, well a few here and there............mainly for family.......at least I tried. I bought a few things from here and here. They were very well received. And then I stepped it up to a whole new level..............I actually made a gift MYSELF. I have been a long time reader of Maya*made and recently purchased her reinvention skirt PDF pattern - or in short, how to make a gorgeous skirt out of an old T-shirt.......recycling at its best!!! And here's the result - apologies for my photography.

ps this used to be a $3 T-shirt from my local Salvation Army shop.

pps this skirt isn't actually crooked - just really really bad styling !!!

Organic tomatoes.......did you know ???

2010-10-17T19:23:00.000-07:00

Did you know that conventional tomatoes are sprayed with pesticides and insecticides and all the other "-cides" up to 30 times during their life cycle ?? I found out this astounding fact during the recent Organic Expo in Sydney.

photo from here

Buy organic....................PLEASE ???

One big warm mama hug to ORGANIC FEAST.....

2010-10-03T15:47:00.000-07:00

Organic Feast is the newest member of The Organic Mamas family - they are stocking our Big Mama and Small Mama shopping bags. On Friday I had the absolute utmost pleasure of visitng Julia of Organic Feast and what a feast !!

The Organic Feast is both a brick and mortar shop in East Maitland, NSW as well as an online store featuring everything organic. It really is my kind of shop - fruit and vege, all kinds of food products, books (oh, how i love books!!), clothing, toys and absolutely fantastic certified organic shopping bags (nudge, nudge, wink, wink !!) - I could have spent hours in there browsing the aisles. And not to mention the wonderfully friendly and happy staff.

see their online store here

It really makes me proud that my little old home town has such a wonderful organic store - and that it is thriving and is really the envy of this now-city gal. I really can keep going on and on ........but go and check it out yourself!

Organic Feast

cnr Lawes and William Streets,

East Maitland NSW 2323

Ph: 02 4934 7351

Fax: 02 4934 7070

Mon-Fri: 9am-5.30pm

Sat: 9am-2pm

http://www.organicfeast.com.au/

So if you are passing by drop in and say hi from The Mamas!!

It's SUPER SATURDAY sale time - hurry, hurry !!!!!!

2010-10-01T15:25:00.000-07:00

Just because I am SO nice and to celebrate the start of October - there's a super sale happening over at The Organic Mamas shop. Check out the one-of-a-kind pants, muslin wraps, and I can't believe I am saying this, the most coveted product of all - the world famous mamas sherpa blankets............at a super sale price. Get in quick.....oh and one more thing - FREE SHIPPING !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Now for the fine print...free shipping for Australian addresses only. ps. Have a great weekend!

Mama Mel x

The Mamas Super Sale !!

The Greenpeace mama - protest in aisle 4!

2010-09-27T15:40:00.000-07:00

Yesterday I received an email from Greenpeace outlining the actions an awesome group of mama's were taking in supermarkets around Sydney and Melbourne. They were protesting against the 'lax' labelling of S-26 baby formula (and Karicare Food Thickener) and in particular their right to know what's in the food that they feed their babies. It has been found that both of these products were contaminated with GM organisms but the manufacturers failed to label the products stating this.

image from here

Yes - there are arguments for and against GM food but the real issue here is the right to choose and Wyeth (the manufacturer of S-26) has taken this right away from us mamas and papas. So what to do ????? Here's what Greenpeace suggests and it sounds good to me:

1. Send the Federal Health Minister, Nicola Roxon, an email demanding that all GM products be labelled - click here to do that

2. If you have purchased these items, take your unused formula back to the supermarket where you bought it and demand a refund. Because the formula had no label, there was no way for you to know that it was contaminated with GM when you bought it. Let the retailer know they have a responsibility not to stock products contaminated with GM, especially when these products aren't properly labelled.

3. Spread the word.

Another warm mama welcome to............

2010-09-26T15:17:00.000-07:00

Maple Street Co-op in the beautiful town of Maleny on Queensland's Sunshine Coast. The Maple Street Co-operative aims to promote healthy lifestyles by providing high-quality foods and products, created according to the principles of organic production, social ethics and environmental sensitivity, and making them available at a reasonable price to Co-op members and the community. When can I move to Maleny???????

The Maple Street Co-Op is open

Monday to Friday from 9.00 am to 5.30 pm

Saturdays, Sundays and public holidays from 9.00 am to 4.00 pm.

So if you are passing through.....drop in and say hi from The Mamas!

Maple Street Co-op

37 Maple St, Maleny QLD 4552

Ph: 07 5494 2088

www.maplestreetco-op.com

Mother Nature's Cup of Tea............

2010-09-21T00:27:00.000-07:00

Anyone that really truly knows me knows that I love my coffee. In fact, scientific research proves that if I don't have my cup of coffee before I leave the house for the day, my day will be ruined...............and I will be grumpy. Anyway, a few months ago I bought some lemon balm to plant in our vegie garden and it has since quadrupled in size so I thought it was time to 'harvest' and make a cup of tea.

image from here

So according to the label on the plant - I know, a dubious reference for tea making - all you need is a handful of leaves and some boiling water and 8 minutes to steep............and it was great.

Lemon balm is an anti-depressant and a stress reliever - its going to be part of my daily ritual. I love the fact that I can go and grab a handful of leaves that I GREW and whack in some boiling water and presto......a cup of tea. I love it !!! Today I added some mint and that was yum too........and my herbal tea guru just informed me that a nice combination is mint and a big whack of ginger, stay tuned for that review.

A Big Mama Welcome To.........

2010-09-17T15:42:00.000-07:00

The Green Room Gallery !!! Welcome to The Mamas family !!

The Green Room Gallery is an awesome shop/gallery on the beautiful north coast of NSW at Coffs Harbour.

Charlotte and Wayne are passionate about ethical and ecological clothing and are stocking The Organic Mamas baby range as well as our shopping bags......but with some customising! I'll share some photos with you soon!

So if you are passing through.....drop in and say hi from The Mamas and check out Wayne's art too!!

The Green Room Gallery

Shop D3 The Promenade

321Harbour Drive

Coffs Harbour 2450 NSW

Ph 0266524207

Sustainable House Day 2010

2010-09-08T14:45:00.000-07:00

The Mamas household is very excited - this Sunday is sustainable house day - yipee !!!! We are heading over to one house in particular to check out everything the owners have done. Reading through their list of environmentally friendly design inclusions sounds just like the wish list for our new house:
photo voltaic energy system - check
greywater recycling system - check
rainwater tank supply - check
low or zero VOC products and materials - check
strong passive solar design - check
I could go on but you get the message. What makes my heart sing is that these design principles are fast becoming the 'norm' - not mainstream yet, but not 'out there' either..............

photo from here

Organic Expo and Green Show 2010

2010-08-25T03:31:00.000-07:00

What a great 3 days !! It was SO fabulous to meet so many enthusiastic people. And we had such an amazing response to our products - our textiles, wallpapers, baby clothing and shopping bags - WOW! And a massive thank you to everyone that stopped by to say hi - it was fantastic. oh, and an even bigger thank you to my extremely highly paid staff (ha!) - you know who you are !!! Here's some photos of the enormous Stand 88 !!!

yes !! - I did make the most of my 4 square metres!!

organic beef by the sea (or is that surf & turf?)

2010-07-21T18:07:00.000-07:00

4 long months have passed since my last post........how did that happen? nothing to say, not enough time, spinning my wheels ??? probably all of the above. So I am back - refreshed, inspired and ready to blog 'n roll.
We've just spent 2 weeks in beautiful Vanuatu. Gorgeous country and gorgeous people and amazing Santo beef. I confess, I had never heard of Santo beef until we booked this trip. Espiritu Santo is Vanuatu's biggest island lying to the north of Port Vila. and it has an amazing beef industry. Free range, organic, pesticide-free - the way farming should be. It was the tastiest beef we have ever had. Cattle drinking the sea water. It was the craziest thing I have ever seen and here's the proof.

The island is full of fresh water streams that seep out through the sand and into the ocean. We watched this cow for a few minutes while she stood and scoped, waiting for the fresh water to appear and then started to drink. Holy cow.

I am a femivore, hear me roar!

2010-03-20T16:21:00.000-07:00

Thanks to Bonnie over at going home to roost, I have stumbled across an article from the New York Times about the emergence of a new species of homo sapien - the FEMIVORE! Finally I know what to put down in the occupation section of the tax return! Well, the NY Times is actually reporting about the dilemma facing the femivore....... "The wages of housewifery had not changed — an increased risk of depression, a niggling purposelessness, economic dependence on your husband — only now, bearing them was considered a “choice”: if you felt stuck, it was your own fault. What’s more that caretaking is undervalued in a society that measures success by a paycheck, their role is made possible by the size of their husband’s." But it seems the saviour of the femivore is the humble chicken coop. According to the NY Times, "Femivorism is grounded in the very principles of self-sufficiency, autonomy and personal fulfillment that drove women into the work force in the first place." But now, the femivores are concerned with "feeding their families clean, flavorful food; reducing their carbon footprints; producing sustainably instead of consuming rampantly." This article really reached out to me and I felt it was almost written for me!

(this is not me....but its from here)

The femivore "may never do more than dabble in backyard farming — keeping a couple of chickens, some rabbits, maybe a beehive or two — but they’re still transforming the definition of homemaker to one that’s more about soil than dirt, fresh air than air freshener".

I love it! Go and have a look over at the NY Times Online.

The femivore.......does she sound like anyone you might know?

Welcome to Mama's family

2010-03-16T18:16:00.000-07:00

A big warm mama hug to Manly Health Foods who are stocking our Big Mama and Little Mama organic cotton shopping bags / totes. The owner-manager of Manly Health Foods, Emeli, has worked in the Naturopathic field since 1998 and has an Advanced Diploma in Naturopathy and a Diploma of Nutrition - so she really knows her stuff - and she is really lovely to boot! Manly Health Foods has a huge range of products and the staff are always friendly and helpful. Go and say Hi from the Mamas!

Shop 8/11 Wentworth St, Manly NSW 2095 Australia

Phone: 02 9977 6972

Our lovely ladies.

2010-03-14T15:50:00.000-07:00

I thought this week that I would slowly (to create a sense of intrigue!) start introducing to you our 3 lovely ladies - our gorgeous, prolific egg laying chickens. We have had them for about 7 months - and we love them. Besides supplying us with 3 gorgeous eggs every day - and the occasional double yoker (woo hoo) - they make the sweetest pets.
They are our own recycling system eating all of our food scraps and other bits we find at the back of the fridge. Since they came to live with us, and together with our 2 compost bins, our garbage bin is often half full (or maybe that should read half-empty). The reduction in our kitchen waste is really amazing. And whenever we are away on holidays, our chicken-loving neighbour is only happy to look after them - with the added bonus of fresh eggs.
We bought our 3 ladies off the most passionate chook man ever known to man - he's Dave Ingham from over at Rent-A-Chook. He is so knowledgeable and helpful - and incredibly funny to boot. He started his business out as a hobby but his enthusiasm has helped in to grow. He also showed us how to make some simple water and feed containers out of the humble old milk cartons.
So lets start this week off with the end product and work our way back................

Yum!

Hello beautiful butterflies!!

2010-03-12T14:49:00.000-08:00

Its great to see another mention of our gorgeous Mod Green Pod fabrics on the superfab Design*Sponge blog. This time its Butterfly Jubliee in Raspberry/Honey together with a tutorial on how to make an ottoman cover. And here's the end result..........

Photo from Design*Sponge

I love a lady called Elsie...............

2010-02-17T02:44:00.000-08:00

Well, let me explain. Elsie is a gorgeous, full figured woman. She is simply stunning to look at and makes my heart flutter. And she has a wonderful personality to boot - she lifts my mood every time I lay eyes on her. My dear friends, Elsie is an armchair, lovingly restored by the gorgeous girls over at Armchair, Pip and Kirsty, using The Organic Mamas' Mod Green Pod Bloom fabric (my personal fave).

And the best part is, she's for sale.

But you better be quick.

Rush over to Armchair's brick and mortar shop at:

401-405 Pacific Highway,

Crows Nest here in Sydney

or online.

Blog Lovin'

2010-02-02T18:07:00.000-08:00

My friends know I am an addict - an addict of design blogs, crafty blogs, textile blogs and maybe just a couple of those other blogs where you find out who is married to who, who is seeing who - you know what I mean - I know I shouldn't admit it by I will.......
But I digress. My love of design blogs knows no bounds and then yesterday I stumbled on a laugh-out-loud blog that combines my love of laughter with design......I am not sure how I found it, you know how it is but unhappy hipsters parodies great design photos from Dwell magazine. I can't explain it, you have to have a look, and a laugh.
By the way, there is nothing to do with sustainability or the environment in this post..................I need to get back on track.......

There. He felt it again. The whole house had unmistakeably slid toward the retaining wall, as if inching toward edificial suicide.
(Photo: Jason Schmidt, Dwell, February 2010)

photo and text from unhappy hipsters

Our new food mantra too.....

2010-01-20T13:21:00.000-08:00

image from auburn&ivory

I love butterflies

2010-01-18T19:48:00.000-08:00

It's great to see The Mamas Mod Green Pod fabrics featured on any blog but even more exciting when its on two of my favourites! Ohdeedoh (the first favourite) is featuring a nursery tour of Kenzie's nursery from her mama's Kenzie Poo blog (the other first favourite - am I making sense.....mmm.....probably not). And to round off the confusion, Mod Green Pod's Butterfly Jubliee print in Raspberry/Honey is featured as a quilt in Kenzie's nursery. Its always nice to see the fabrics in an 'every day' situation rather than just a swatch and see how gorgeous it looks. And it really confirms my suspicion that Rachelle has exquisite taste and an absolutely beautiful home - and she's a really cool mama too!

image from kenzie poo via ohdeedoh

Where have all the caterpillars gone?

2010-01-05T22:44:00.000-08:00

I am standing at my sink chopping vegetables for dinner - and it comes to me................where have all the caterpillars gone? We generally buy organic fruit and vegetables (and meat and chicken too) except when the organic grocer is closed and I have to go to the supermarket. So today at lunchtime I was cutting up some strawberries and there was a little green caterpillar making its home on the side of one of the fruits. Wow, I thought, hello little fella. I picked him off and put him into the compost bin and continued on without a thought. Fast forward to the next meal time and I am washing the dirt off the potatoes and it dawns on me. I don't see those little green caterpillars on the conventionally grown fruit and vegies I buy at the supermarket. I wonder why ???? (these are ironic question marks by the way). Buy organic, save the caterpillar.

Merry Christmas!

2009-12-21T13:11:00.000-08:00

Merry Christmas everyone and wishing you all the best of everything for the year ahead. The Mamas stores will be open for orders over the Christmas break and shipping recommences 4th January!

I love birthday parties

2009-12-10T19:57:00.000-08:00

I really do - especially when they are fairy parties. A certain someone in our household is having a birthday soon and has requested a fairy party - just like her big sister. And I always like a nice invitation - but the number of guests always seems to be more than 1 packet of invitations and I inevitably end up buying 2 packets - ITS SUCH A WASTE ! - especially now I have embarked on my personal war on packaging.
Solution ??? Printable PDF's from Etsy (and probably a whole lot of other places too) and only print as many as required - yipeee! My latest comes from Paper & Cake printable partyware , so I will raid my stash of recycled paper and off I go.......................

image from here

Gift Certificates now in all Mamas stores !!!!!

2009-12-04T14:32:00.000-08:00

Our Mod Green Pod fabrics were featured on the Re-Nest's "10 Green Gifts for the Artist, Crafter and DIY'er" for the holidays. So much inspiration in there !
And to celebrate, I have added the Gift Certificate feature to all my stores (that is, Baby, Bags and Textiles) - shameless advertising for those last minute hard-to-buy-for Christmas present - yay !!!

My personal war on packaging

2009-11-25T23:09:00.000-08:00

I recycle like a crazy person and try to buy everything in recycled packaging at the least but I have been thinking.......so much energy is required to RECYCLE the recyclable packaging. So I am going to try, piece by piece to limit the amount of packaging waste that I produce. And as one of my favourite bloggers (that would be Ashley over at Small Measure) says, its all about the small steps we take - oh, and snorty laughter !!
So today is the first day of the rest of my life and the first day of my personal war on packaging and to celebrate, I ordered 2 "Keep Cups" reusable coffee cups from a really cool Australian store Keep Cup. I'll let you know what I think......

Superhousewife Tip #167

2009-11-19T15:22:00.000-08:00

What to do? Mother-in-law coming to babysit the children. Floor as dirty as a ...um....dirty floor. Rush to cleaning supplies cupboard. Oh no. No floor washing stuff. Panic hits. Look around with panicked look-on-face. Yes!! I've got it - dishwashing liquid (earth friendly of course) and the floor comes up a treat. Crisis averted. So in honour of clean kitchen floors, here is a picture of my dream kitchen, complete with clean floors - courtesy of a posting a while ago from Design*Sponge.

Take a deep breath.............

2009-11-06T13:30:00.000-08:00

I've been putting this off for many days, weeks, months..............so here we go. My first blog post. No photos today (i think that's my first mistake!) - just a few words and a bit of a plan.
This is not going to be about how many bottoms I wiped or what I had for lunch, just a place to pass on stuff that I pick up along my way - with a "green" environmentally-aware bent to it. And now I've put a "mama's blog" tab on my web page, I better write something!