Kids Crafts {keeping them busy on the school holidays}

Well are your kids driving you nuts yet?

I've come close to losing it a few times.

It always happens (at least to us) towards the end of the school holidays.

Boredom can easily set in.........

...........such needy little creatures.

They require food & shelter 

and fancy learnin'

PLUS they want entertainment and mental stimulation!

COME ON!

really?

Of course, I'm kidding

sort of.........

So what do you do with them once they've exhausted themselves silly?

Well, we like to get out arty farty on.

 They were dying to get stuck into these craft kits that were kindly sent to them from Riot Art & Craft.

 And stuck into them they did..............

Pickle #2 chose the Majestic Castle kit.

Pickle #3 (and Mr3P) worked together on the Crocodile kit.

It was lovely seeing them create this together.

 Pretty much all the bits and pieces that you need to create are supplied in the kits (except for scissors)

 Pickle #1 chose the Photo Frame making kit.

We spent a really enjoyable afternoon creating our works of art.

 There was some drying time involved, so we finished everything off the next day.

 I loved how I didn't have to find everything needed (or come up with the ideas and instructions...they're all there).

Riot have taken all of the boring work (sourcing the "stuff") out of it for you so you can just enjoy some creative time with your kids.....or get then out of your hair for a while....lol.

Mr 3P did a very nice job as Pickle #3's assistant.

 He hasn't stopped playing with that crocodile...I think he has even named it!!

Pickle #2 is very proud of his castle. True to his personality, he changed the look of the castle a little.

It NEEDED more windows (with curtains)

Castles can get windy...you see.

Pickle #1 could have put anything on and in his frame, but he chose this picture and wording.

he's such a beautiful little guy.

As you can see, I'm impressed with these kits and will be buying more. You can get them online if you can't get to a store.

I was thinking they would make great little "bonbonniere"  as an activity for kids birthday parties.

Check out the Ricky Riot website for kids. There's a stack of creative ideas, free downloadable templates & kids can even add pictures of their creations to the online art gallery.

Have fun & happy crafting.

Disclosure: This product was provided for editorial consideration.   3pickles has no affiliation with any companies mentioned and has receives no remuneration for posting reviews. All of my opinions are honest and are only influenced by the awesomeness of a product or service.
3pickles receive lots of products to review, but only the things that we (Marnie & the pickles) love end up here on the blog.

Planning to get organised! (plus a Giveaway)

Want to get organised in 2013?

I do.

Are you one of those have to write it down, list type, plan it type people?

I am.

Have you ever found a diary or planner that fit "you"...like, really fit...like it was made for you??

I haven't.......until today.

If I told you that you could design & create your own planner, online and it would be printed and delivered to your door...would you want one?

If so, Personal Planner's got a great idea I think you’ll love!

Their planners provide you with endless design possibilities. You can change colour, text and design on front/back cover as well as inlay. There are also clever boxes for to-do list, gym session, preschool, idea of the week and weather. Friend’s and family member’s birthdays can also be added to the inlay directly from Facebook. They print and deliver the finished product directly to our your doorstep.  Here are a few things that I like about these planners:

• Design the front/back cover
• Tons of ways to design the inside to suit your style & 
• needs.
• Add friends & family members birthdays to the inlay 
• Choose between 4 different sizes
• You pick the start date. 
• And best of all its fun and easy :)

Click here to visit their website and facebook page.

This giveaway is now closed...thanks to everyone who entered.

Now would you like the chance to win one?

The lovely people at Personal Planner are giving one lucky reader an email gift card (valued at $45) to be redeemed on their website.

This GIVEAWAY is open to everyone...international readers welcome.

 All you have to do is leave a comment and tell me what's been missing from "your" planners of the past. For me it would be a "Me Time" section...lol

Entries close on Saturday 26th January (Australia Day) at midday Melbourne time.

I'll pick my favourite and announce it here on the blog and on my Facebook page on Sunday 27th January.

The prize cannot be exchanged for money.

It would be really nice if you dropped by the Personal Planner Facebook Page and gave them a nice big Like too!

Good luck and happy planning.

December Beauty Favourites & NEW YouTube Channel

Well, I finally started a new channel, dedicated to all things "beauty".

For years I have worked on many faces from family & friends to bridal clients, models and even the odd celebrity or two. 

You know the one thing most of these women had in common?

They wanted to be able to create beautiful make-overs for themselves, at home, just like a make-up artist would. Not much different from wanting to get that "just out of the hairdressers" look that is so lusted after.

Many times, I've been creating a look on someone, while their friends/family (or mine) look on, ask questions and take notes. I've even had people call me while they were out shopping to double check on a particular product name or shade.....lol, I've joked that I should start a make-up counselling hotline number.

So, instead, I've started the YouTube Channel...especially for those people...and anyone else who loves make-up, nails, hair & beauty, just like I do!!

A lot of the make-overs will be done on myself, family & friends (mainly Mums, just like me) so if you're in the 35+ group, you may find the little tid bits and tutorials useful, or at the very least a bit entertaining (even if it's just to have a chuckle at me...just be nice OK...I don't put up with trolls here or anywhere).

So here's my first video and post, which I hope will be a regular monthly thing. "Favourites". The swatches, details and any relevant links will be here on the blog.

So, please subscribe and give my video a thumbs up if you like it.

I'd love to hear any requests for tutorials....let me know OK?

(the video is at the very end of this post)

DECEMBER FAVOURITES

Jurlique Rose Body Oil

Jurlique replenishing Foaming Cleanser

Clairol Nice'n Easy, home hair colour.
My colour is 101 Natural Baby Blonde
The conditioning gloss is amazzzzing!!
The pictures below were taken on my phone just after I did the colour (I need a trim...badly), the second pic was taken near a window and the sun was setting, so it does look a little golder.
Soooo happy with this colour AND I did it myself!!

John Frieda Sheer Blonde shampoo

Coles Zinc stick

La Mav Bio-A7 Firming Eye Lotion
from The Mineral Miracle online store

Face of Australia blush in Outback Primrose

Bourjois Healthy Mix foundation

Australis lip pencil in Tickled Pink (I just checked and it's NOT discontinued...yeah!!!)

Blush, Eyeliner, Lipliner
and my hands are extremely dry...eeew)

NYX Nude on Nude Palette (link for US)

Link to Crush Cosmetics (Australia)

Miss Dior Cherie

Please leave a comment and tell me what you think...I'd appreciate your feedback.

Get Her Look - Megan Fox at the Golden Globes 2013

Here's my take on Megan's look. 

Megan Fox - Golden Globes Red Carpet
with Bourjois, Face of Australia, MAC

What we did on our Christmas holidays

Well, what DIDN'T we do over the Christmas holidays??

I feel like the song "I've been everywhere" by Lucky Starr was our theme song this summer.

You see, when Mr3P plans a road trip...well he doesn't like to leave anything out.

This road trip was no exception.

Killing the serenity in Bonnie Doon's Lake Eildon.

The destination for Christmas was the Gold Coast, where my family live. I haven't seen any of them in over a year, so I was itchin' to get there. 

It's a long, long way in a car with 3 little ones, so Mr3P likes to do lots of short trips to kill the boredom and to stay awake and fresh....(he did all of the driving up & back, while I do all of the driving on the Gold Coast). 

So, before we went away, he spent days researching on the Internet for interesting things to do along the way. He even made a bit of an itinerary. He's so cute like that.

The sign says it all.

This was an interesting stop. I've never seen a submarine, inland rural NSW and in the middle of a park. It's the HMAS Otway's final resting spot. We were too early to go into the museum, but the kids had fun playing on the sub. 

Holbrook Submarine Museum, Holbrook

Now Mr3P thinks I'm a stresser....and he's right. Especially when we drove the circuit at Mt Panorama in Bathurst. He was like a big kid (like every other man who has driven the circuit, I imagine).
I don't know how the pros do it...it was scary at 60km/hr and they go a heck of a lot faster than that.
By the way, I don't think I've seen a prettier or tidier town than Bathurst. Just lovely.

Now, if you've driven along the Hume Highway, you've probably stopped here at The Dog on the Tuckerbox.

Well, now we have too.

Of course, a stop over in Tamworth wouldn't be right without a picture taken in front of The Big Golden Guitar. And some Hungry Jack's....thanks for the free Wi-Fi, HJs!! Thank you Great Architect of the Universe for somehow not letting me put on any weight these holidays (in fact, when I got home, I'd realised that I had lost 500g....woo hooo)

We did what we usually do when it comes to somewhere to lay our heads for the night. That is, we start looking for suitable accommodation before it gets dark...we shop around the town rather than book anything in advance. It doesn't have to be the Hilton for us (plus the fact that there IS no Hilton on the Hume), as long as it's clean and not creepy. We only stay for sleep and a shower...then off we go.
We're just wild and crazy like that.

Sometimes Mr3P took us 2 hours off the beaten track.

Just so I could photograph a waterfall.

and stress at my pickles being too close to the edge.

I have a fear of heights by proxy.

Can anyone say "control freak"?

Do you have those type of fears for your kids? Even though the heights don't bother me too much, I can't stand my kids being near the edge...even though my logic tells me it's safe.

The loo paper went where we went.....you just never know.

It's the little things................

We helped save Thundebolt's Hideout in Tenterfield 
Thank goodness another family came to take over our shift......................

It took us almost 4 days to get to the Gold Coast, but it was a lot of fun and the kids will have some great memories of our trip...isn't that what a family holiday is all about?

If you want to see some pics and tid bits about the rest of our trip, then please drop back later in the week. I have my blogging hat on again.
Hope to see you soon.

Prawn Saganaki Recipe

Happy New Year everyone!!

...did you miss me?

We've just returned from a 2 week road trip from Melbourne to the Gold Coast and back, stopping in Sydney and a bunch of other places along the way.

I took heaps of pictures...of course

More on that later next week.

But first, a yummy Greek recipe to start off 2013.

Healthy, low-fat, low-carb, easy peasy

and very fancy schmancy.

Definitely a dish to impress.

 Simply translated, Saganaki means "in the pan".

I've had the haloumi cheese done as saganaki, but never the prawns. So when we were recently in Sydney, we had dinner at a Greek restaurant in Darling Harbour with Mr3P's cousin and his lovely family. 

That's where I got to try this dish...and it was incredible!!

So I put on my recipe detective hat and figured out how to make my own little version.

It wasn't too hard....it's a very simple dish.

Here 'tis.

Prawn Saganaki (3pickles version)

Serves 4 as a main or 6 as an entree

• 1kg whole, green prawns (once I peeled and de-veined them, they weighed around 600g)
• 1 x 810g tinned, diced tomatoes
• 1 tablespoon of good olive oil
• 1 small onion, finely diced
• 1 heaped teaspoon of crushed garlic
• 1/2 teaspoon of crushed chilli (or to taste)
• 1 cup of white wine 
• salt & white pepper to taste
• 200g feta (I used a soft, Danish feta)
• fresh parsley to serve

To make:

Soften onion and garlic in a large fry pan.
Add undrained, tinned tomatoes, chilli, salt and pepper and wine.
Simmer for a few minutes.
Transfer to an oven proof dish, sprinkle with crumbled feta and bake at about 200C for about 20 minutes (just check that the feta doesn't start to burn)
Remove from the oven and push the peeled prawns into the thickened sauce.
Return to the oven for 3-4 minutes. Don't overcook the prawns or they'll get tough and chewy.

Serve with a green salad and some fresh, crusty bread to sop up the sauce.

Don't tell anyone how easy it was to make...they'll think your a superstar!!

linking up to:

Whipperberry's Friday Flair