Free Shipping to Queensland today only …read more!

 
Spend $100.00 and over TODAY on My On Line Gift Shop and shipping is free! This is for Thursday 31st March for Qld. only...simply enter "FABKTHURS31" in comment box on checkout and Invoice will be amended.
P.S. this does not apply to items already on Special!
Check out our specials offers on Facebook every Thursday!

Food for thought……

During the rest of the week, have a conversation with 3 people whom you have been promising yourself that you would catch up with.
Make someone’s day, light up their life, by offering a smile or a world of thanks for their courtesy or kindness; by offering affirmation for services done for you.
For example:

• When you helped sort out my bill today, I couldn't help noticing how good at your job you are!
• Thank you for taking the time to show me where that product was!

We can all make a difference to someone’s Life…have a think about it…how do you feel when someone gives you a compliment or pat you on the back for a job well done?

The Royals ~~ King,Princess,Soldier,Clown ~~ Jester…

  
Although in today’s age. some of us might not be very much in favourite of having a royal family, but we have to admit we all like the fascination that comes with it. 


They seem to brighten up our world occasionally with their presences, grand occasions, such as the Wedding that we had this  year   Prince William to Miss Catherine Middleton. The wedding will take place in the Spring or Summer of 2011, in London. Also the Highlights of Princess Mary and Crown Prince Frederik of Denmark with the birth of their twins.


As kids, we are read some fabulous fairy tales….which we all fantasized on and dreamed about…perhaps that charming prince or princess will come to our lives. I think we still as adults do this we all like to live in fairy tales at times…..wouldn’t it be wonderful.


We carry on reading these wonderful fairy tales to our kids..mentioning a few:
Hans Christian Andersen These include "The Steadfast Tin Soldier", "The Snow Queen", "The Little Mermaid", "Thumbelina", "The Little Match Girl", and "The Ugly Duckling".
Snow White
Mother Goose
Robin Hood
Sleeping Beauty (1959 film)
The Slipper and the Rose (musical)
Cinderella (1997 film)
The frog that turned into a prince


I am sure I can keep going…as the lists are endless…


We can fantasies these tales by reading but also using puppets as props to bring the story more to live. Puppets seem to engage the child more to the story…You can offer a range forms or puppetry, hand puppets, finger puppets,cone puppets, string or marionettes, reversible dolls, depending on the age and skills of the individual.



So enjoy your fairy tale moments, they can be wonderful memories……………and by the way which was your favorite Fairy Tale when you were a child...and what is your Favorite Fairy tale of your children. I think mine has to be Pinocchio!


Which puppet in store is your favorite puppet, or character?

Thank you Kym from "Mummas Mini Mes" for reviewing one of our puppets.

Thank to all of you that stopped by to enter the giveaway . I appreciate your comments and good luck in the draw, while you here you can join our Newsletter, follow us on Facebook , Twitter , RSS, Google +

For every follow please leave a comment and you will receive an extra entry in the giveaway.

Afterwards kindly leave a comment for Kym that you have entered the comp.

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Other Exciting Giveaways happening...check them out!

$30 voucher to spend in the musical section check it our at Stuffwiththing

Take a look at the Specials at present…. Also if you want to check out more specials and you want some great giveaways…check this out!

Flickr Tags: fairy tales,king,princess,puppets,clown,soldier

What we get up to when we get older?

Two elderly gentlemen from a retirement centre were sitting on a bench under a tree when one turns to the other and says:
Slim, I'm 83 years old now and I'm just full of aches and pains. I know you're about my age. How do you feel?'
Slim says, 'I feel just like a newborn baby.’
Really!? Like a newborn baby!?'
Yep. No hair, no teeth, and I think I just wet my pants.
An elderly gentleman....
Had serious hearing problems for a number of years. He went to the doctor and the doctor was able to have him fitted for a set of hearing aids that allowed the gentleman to hear 100%
The elderly gentleman went back in a month to the doctor and the doctor said, 'Your hearing is perfect.. Your family must be really pleased that you can hear again.'
The gentleman replied, 'Oh, I haven't told my family yet.
I just sit around and listen to the conversations. I've changed my will three times!'
An elderly couple had dinner at another couple's house, and after eating, the wives left the table and went into the kitchen.
The two gentlemen were talking, and one said, 'Last night we went out to a new restaurant and it was really great.. I would recommend it very highly.'
The other man said, 'What is the name of the restaurant?'
The first man thought and thought and finally said, 'What is the name of that flower you give to someone you love?
You know.... The one that's red and has thorns.'
'Do you mean a rose?'
'Yes, that's the one,' replied the man. He then turned towards the kitchen and yelled, 'Rose, what's the name of that restaurant we went to last night?'
Couple in their nineties are both having problems remembering things. During a check up, the doctor tells them that they're physically okay, but they might want to start writing things down to help them remember ..
Later that night, while watching TV, the old man gets up from his chair. 'Want anything while I'm in the kitchen?' he asks.
'Will you get me a bowl of ice cream?'
'Sure..'
'Don't you think you should write it down so you can remember it?' she asks.
'No, I can remember it.'
'Well, I'd like some strawberries on top, too. Maybe you should write it down, so not to forget it?'
He says, 'I can remember that. You want a bowl of ice cream with strawberries.'
'I'd also like whipped cream. I'm certain you'll forget that, write it down?' she asks.
Irritated, he says, 'I don't need to write it down, I can remember it! Ice cream with strawberries and whipped cream - I got it, for goodness sake!'
Then he toddles into the kitchen. After about 20 minutes, The old man returns from the kitchen and hands his wife a plate of bacon and eggs.. She stares at the plate for a moment.
'Where's my toast ?'
Three old guys are out walking.
First one says, 'Windy, isn't it?'
Second one says, 'No, it's Thursday!'
Third one says, 'So am I. Let's go get a beer..'


A little old man shuffled slowly into an ice cream parlour and pulled himself slowly, painfully, up onto a stool.. After catching his breath, he ordered a banana split.
The waitress asked kindly, 'Crushed nuts?'
'No,' he replied, 'Arthritis.'
Morris, an 82 year-old man, went to the doctor to get a physical.
A few days later, the doctor saw Morris walking down the street with a gorgeous young woman on his arm.
A couple of days later, the doctor spoke to Morris and said, 'You're really doing great, aren't you?'
Morris replied, 'Just doing what you said, Doc: 'Get a hot mamma and be cheerful.''
The doctor said, 'I didn't say that.. I said, 'You've got a heart murmur; be careful.'
Garage Door
The boss walked into the office one morning not knowing his zipper was down and his fly area wide open. His assistant walked up to him and said, 'This morning when you left your house, did you close your garage door?' The boss told her he knew he'd closed the garage door, and walked into his office puzzled by the question.
As he finished his paperwork, he suddenly noticed his fly was open, and zipped it up. He then understood his assistant's question about his 'garage door.'
He headed out for a cup of coffee and paused by her desk to ask, 'When my garage door was open, did you see my Hummer parked in there?'
She smiled and said, 'No, I didn't. All I saw was an old mini van with two flat tires..

Hope you all have a pleasant week ahead!
Marthese……

The Abacus ~~ super cube ~~ educational toy…

 Abacus origin started in a part of china as an arithmetic aid. It used to be a frame with beads on rods going across which was used for counting……
It is an amazing invention that still supersedes, computer aids in this subject. It is a great aid to help young ones start the basics in Maths.
Well…..I have been asked many a times if I stock  the Abacus…I think I had to find one to introduce to you. As usual you know how I hunt high and low to find the right product to present in my store.
Well finally I found this super cube…It is Approx. 20cm x 20cm  20cm, Perfect size. It is advisable to be used 18months and up…although that is up to your jurisdiction, you know your child better than anyone.
This Super Cube is very versatile, the top part where the bead frame is, when turned upside down, it fits perfectly in the cube, makes it a perfect cube. It can be used as 2 separate activities, so more than one child can play with, which makes it ideal if one wants to use it in a playgroup situation, crèches, family day care, waiting rooms etc. Obviously it is perfect for a single child alone as well.
This Versatile Cube:

• An Abacus on one side
  
• A Blackboard on another
  
• Apple and Banana images printed on wooden cubes that can be turned around on another side
  
• Fun learning shapes that can be moved around

That makes it the four sides…..

• And finally the bead frame which makes a fifth side

So I think you see why I decided on this product. it is versatile, educational,colourful, perfect size, great quality and perfect prize.
It is made from rubber plantation wood, and paints used are non toxic.
Develops:

1.  Cognitive Intelligence
   
2.  Spatial understanding
   
3. logic and sequence
   
4. provides multiple stimulation

This would make an ideal Christening or Baby Gift.Sometimes we need to think in the future, when giving someone, a gift. This will grow with the child, can also be used in primary as a Maths aid.
Hope you enjoyed this post…always love to share my 25 years experience working with pre-school age group.
Marthese
You know I love colour by now and this product is alive!

Flickr Tags: abacus,learning cube,educational,airithmetic aid,counting,shapes,colours,wooden toys

We all heard of Multiculturalism and Ethnic Backgrounds….what does it mean, how can we explain it and incorporate it in our kids everyday everyday play?

Multiculturalism and Ethnicity….interesting words! 

Ethnic is basically a group of people who share the same background, language culture and heritage.
Multiculturalism is a group of people that either practice and accept people from different countries and nationalities and all colour of life. It can also mean that individuals who were brought up in a Multicultural family, a parent might be from one Ethnic Background and the other from an other…also you might find more members of the extended family that come from various other Ethnic groups.
So from a child point of view how do you instil these cultures and ideas? Personally I had no issues with this while they were little as both my husband, myself and extended family all seem to come from the same Ethnic Backgrounds..except for a couple  which we really did not have much contact with.
 
But in real world today..with the easy access of travel, internet, people are mixing more and more. In my travels I am finding that wherever I go I find people from all kinds of backgrounds…and I really enjoy the learning experience that come with it, food, traditions, etc. It is an eye opening experience.
                              
The main concern for me that I hope one day we still have these traditions going and not be assimilated so much that we loose that. For example one thing that annoys me to death, is that in most countries that I travelled…I usually like to find something to buy that is authentic related to that country…not designed and then made in China…that really frustrates me!

On the positive side..I love trying different kind of food from all over the world. I love the different Multicultural Restaurants and Cafes that are popping everywhere around us…and I am sure most of you do to.
I am always on the look out for new products to introduce in my shop which are a great resources for Multicultural Activities. in my Doll Section I have introduced the above gorgeous new family which combined with other doll sets can help Kids in understanding Multiculturalism in their pretend play.

Technorati Tags: multicultural dolls,wooden dolls,barefoot dolls

Barefoot Range on Special ~~ this week 15 % off the entire range Monday 21st March till Friday 25th March

 

 

 

Grab this opportunity and save  15 % off the entire  Barefoot Range………I am biased I am in love with this range….

 

 

               

 

For those who have not heard of the “Barefoot Range” before I shall give an insight of this gorgeous product….

 

A Lady by the name of Barbara Sansoni, created the Barefoot concept out of need for a rehabilitation programme for young Sir Lankan woman who had limited schooling and skills in 1958. All products are individually handmade to perfection and are all unique as they vary in colour from one to the other. There is no slave labour involved and people are paid normal wages.
The material that they are made of is hand-woven out of 100% natural fibres and are all uniquely handmade. Swiss dyes are used and they are non toxic.
There is a large range of products and these are some of the range that I stock ...you can see the whole range of products on my store

Ghost in a Hospital

Apparently this is a true Story!   Oh my God….

This case happened in a General Hospital's Intensive care ward where patients always died in the same bed and on all Sunday mornings at 11 a.m, regardless of their medical
condition.
This puzzled the doctors and some even thought that it had something to do with the supernatural. No one could solve the mystery as to why the deaths took place at 11 AM .
So a hospital-wide expert team was constituted and they decided to go down to the ward to investigate the cause of the incidents. So on the next Sunday morning, a few minutes
before 11 a.m. all doctors and nurses nervously waited outside the ward to see for themselves what the terrible phenomenon was all about.. Some were holding wooden crosses, prayer books and other holy objects to ward off evil, even Pirith chanting had
begun........Then the clock struck 11...and then......then.....then.........




Mahinda, the part-time Sunday sweeper, entered the ward, unplugged the life support system & plugged in the vacuum cleaner...............

boys will be boys…….

I am not sure about you, but when I have a Special Occasion coming up  and I have to buy a gift for a boy or a guy it is always harder to find something special than for a  girl…………

 

As you know I am always sourcing out something special for you … I came up with this delightful Traditional Doll from the “Barefoot Collection” all handmade in Sir Lankan. I am in love with this range…. love their:

• vibrant colours
  
• unique pieces as they are all handmade and not one is exactly the same as the other as they come in all different colours
  
• materials used are hand woven
  
• Swiss dyes are used and are non toxic

This Traditional doll is approx. 57cm in height. Your adorable boy would love this to have and carry as a friend. Their clothes can come off and they come with underpants and all!
What I love most about these are the trendy tongs that they wear..they are cleverly crafted and attached to the foot with Velcro so they can be taken off and put on as one pleases.
These are also Ideal for kids groups…such as Kindergarten, Crèches, Family Day Care, Playgroups, Primary schools, Special needs schools. They are a great way to introduce international dolls in the group. They are also very hardwearing and can be hand washed.
These bags are also a favourite of mine.

Kids Backpacks by Barefoot

These gorgeous bags by Barefoot are a delight for any child.

• They are a draw string bag with 2 pockets in the front.
  
• They also come with a small Australian animal which is attached to the bag, but it can be taken off and played with.
  
• They come in exciting and  bright colours.

Have a look at what I can offer you in store
You will also find a range of Australiana toys, mugs, Keepsakes and souvenirs. They are greatly enjoyed by all Australiana lovers and also by loved ones overseas.

Personalized plates for Babies and Kids

Are you lost on what as to what sort of Gift you can give for that special Occasion coming up….?

Here is a list of ideas for you:

1. New born Baby
   
2. Christening
   
3. Can be a keepsake sought after by Parents, Grandparents, Godparents or any other special person in their life
   
4. First Birthday…usually it is a big celebration
   
5. I have created for you designs, for babies, boys or girls
   
6. You can give this gorgeous plate as a gift so that the child will use it every year on their birthday

It is always great to receive something special, especially when the child can see their name on the plate.
In the listings you will find that you have a choice of 2 sizes and quite a few different designs to choose from as seen in some of the examples I provided. Please feel free to discuss any requests that you might have.
I also offer personalized plates with your own images.

Moomba

Melbourne & Moomba 

Moomba Melbourne 1955

Personally for me Moomba is very important event in my life...as it reminds me of my first outing that I had when I arrived in Australia for the first time...

We arrived in Melbourne as a young married couple in 1981...that is now 30 years ago. It seems like yesterday but yet...we landed at Melbourne Airport on the 7th March. We both left our families behind ...not knowing really what lies ahead of us. It is amazing the challenges that we take in life without even knowing what it is going  to bring along. This was the hardest decision of my life.

From memory we must have arrived Thursday and the first outing we made was to the Moomba Parade in the city of Melbourne  It was  a wonderful start to our life in Australia. I did not know what to expect...coming from Malta...the only then carnival we had was the big Parade celebration with floats bands etc ...to celebrate the beginning of Lent  

The meaning behind our Carnival was   "Traditionally this was the time to indulge and feast before sobering up for the 40-day fast which in Christian and Catholic tradition preceded the Resurrection of Christ. Actually carne vale marked the period when meat and other earthly pleasures could be enjoyed in a spree prior to the commencement of the term of Lenten penitence. "

Not having traveled much before then I assumed that this was the same celebration as we were used to as it happens more or less at the same time of the year....but I soon found out that it was otherwise....this is how it started....

Moomba is Australia's largest free community festival and one of the longest running festivals in Australia. Held annually in the city of Melbourne, Australia, Moomba is celebrated during the Labour Day long weekend (over four days, from Friday to the second Monday in March), and has been celebrated since 1955. In 2003, the event was renamed Melbourne Moomba Waterfest. It is a family festival run by the City of Melbourne Council.   you can continue reading it about the Carnival here

There is a lot of activities  that occur during the weekend, water sport competitions on the Yarra River, Parades in the City streets, Children Activities, Musical festival...fireworks  etc etc....

This year  we had fantastic weather on Monday for the Parade which I am sure was enjoyed by all.....Has anyone of you attended  any activities during this weekend? What did you think of it...Personally I have not been for quite a few years now...but it always brings memories!

 More shots of the Moomba Carnival 2011                  

Who’s the Boss

Who’s the Boss 

This is how sales ARE to be done...  read the below story...  A keen immigrant Indian Marwadi lad applied for a salesman's job at London 's premier downtown department store. In fact, it was the biggest store in the world - you could get anything there. The boss asked him, "Have you ever been a salesman before?" "Yes sir, I was a salesman in India ", replied the lad. The boss liked the cut of him and said, "You can start tomorrow and I'll come and see you." The day was long and arduous for the young man, but he got through it. And finally 6:00 PM came around. The boss duly fronted up and asked, "How many sales did you make today?" "Sir, Just ONE sale." said the young salesman "Only one sale?" blurted the boss. "No! No! You see here, most of my staff make 20 or 30 sales a day. If you want to keep this job, you'd better be doing better than just one sale. By the way How much was the sale worth?" "93300534.00 pounds" said the young Marwadi. "What, How did you manage that?" asked the flabbergasted boss. "Well", said the salesman, "This man came in and I sold him a small fish hook, then a medium hook and finally a really large hook. Then I sell him new fishing rod and some fishing gear. Then I asked him where he was going fishing and he said down the coast. So I told him he'd need a boat, so I took him down to the boat department and sold him that twenty-foot schooner with the twin engines. Then he said his Volkswagen probably wouldn't be able to pull it, so I took him to our automotive department and sold him that new Deluxe 4X4 Blazer. I then asked him where he'll be staying, and since he had no accommodation, I took him to camping department and sold him one of those new igloo 6-sleeper camper tents. Then the guy said, while we're at it, I should throw in about $100 worth of groceries and two cases of beer." The boss took two steps back and asked in astonishment, "You sold all that to a guy who came in for a fish hook!" "No" answered the salesman, "he came in to buy a box of Sanitary napkins for his wife and I said to him, 'Sir, Your weekends are screwed anyway, you might as well go fishing.'" Boss - "You sit in my chair........"

Personalized Birthday Gifts for Boys and Girls.....

Do you have a special birthday coming up for your boy or girl.....

Then I have created maybe the perfect gift for you....

 

• These are great gifts if perhaps you are after a special keepsake for a special birthday like when your child turns one.
• A great gift fro Grandparents or God Parents alike, or a special person in their life.

I have created 2 different designs to choose from for boys and 6 different designs for girls.

• You have a choice of the size of the plate
• Also a choice of design
• A message around the top of the plate and also the bottom
• And also an option to have a message at the back

You can have a look at the boys designs  and girls designs

 

If you are after  

Party Bag Gifts and Party Treats or ideas to create a theme for a party ...I have put up some ideas for you here