I have some wonderful memories of my mum and it can be something as insignificant as a comment or a smell from a delicious home cooked meal that brings my mother to the forefront of my mind.  Is there something specific that reminds you of your mum?

Mums deserve their special day and this is shown by the popularity of Mother’s Day throughout the world.  While the holiday was originally created in America by Anna Jarvis in memory of her mother in 1908, it did not officially become recognised in Australia until 1924 by a Sydney-side resident.

A newspaper in 1927 quotes “Next Sunday will be Mothers’ Day, and Mrs J Heyden, of Leichhardt, is making her fourth annual appeal for Newington Asylum. Gifts of red socks, handkerchiefs, scarves, mittens, scented soap, fancy aprons, cakes, sweets etc, are asked for, and may be left at the Feminist Club or at the florist’s shop, 5 Norton-street, Leichhardt.”

I am sure mums today will still appreciate many of those gifts recommended by Mrs Heyden back in the 1920s.

Of course since then Mother’s Day has increased in popularity and has become much more commercialised but it does not take away from the fact that our mums are special and should be made to feel extra-special every now and again.

From all the staff at Yayme! – Happy Mother’s Day to all the mums out there!  Enjoy YOUR day!

Kids and adults alike seem to be fascinated with the subject of fairies.  These mythical creatures have been featured in books, movies, and beautiful works of art – cementing their popularity in our folklore.

Many people to this day actually believe that fairies do exist although of course there is very little to support any of these claims.  Have you heard of the Cottingley Fairy images which were released in 1917?  They were a set of five photographs which seemingly captured two cousins interacting with fairies.  Unfortunately for the believers, the photographs were shown to be fake in the early 1980s but for a while there it brought about a mixed reaction of excitement and disbelief.

Fairies will continue to survive as long as we support the idea of the tooth fairy and other such wonderful mythical characters.

Thinking of specific fairies, how many do you think you could name off the top of your head.  Tinkerbell…The Fairy Godmother…Flora, Fauna and Merryweather perhaps?  More than 10 and I would hasten to say you were almost a fairy expert!

If you happen to have a little one who believes in fairies then have a look at our Personalised Fairy Quilt/Doona Cover Set – it even glows in the dark sparking the imagination for even more fantastical tales.

Do you have a favourite fairy?

1.  Our first choice would have to be of course the Personalised Framed Mother’s Day Poem.  This gold frame comes with a special poem printed on rose paper, personalised to your needs, making this a beautiful gift for any mother or grandmother.

2.  Have you seen our Personalised Floral Recipe Book?  An ideal place to store old favourites as well as new recipes; add to this a promise of a homecooked meal or a night out on the town and you have the perfect gift for any mum.

3.  Our Personalised Floral Apron is extremely popular and just by looking at it you can see why!  Pretty, comfortable and practical – three things women love from any gift they receive.  It is machine washable and can be personalised with up to 12 characters.

4.  While women golfers may not be outnumbering the men just yet, it is still a popular sport for many of the mums out there.  Any golfing fan will love to receive these Personalised Golf Balls presented in a beautiful gold tin.

Make sure you place your orders as soon as you can to allow our staff plenty of time to prepare your gift for the big day as it is quite a busy time of year for us.

A little effort in placing your order now will go a long way when it comes to the appreciation your mum will feel when she receives her gift on Mother’s Day.

Flowers immediately brighten up the spirits and freshen up the surrounding decor.  They instantly put a smile on someone’s face and show gratitude and thoughtfulness.

I love how flowers have an almost secretive language associated with them.  Some of my favourite meanings are listed below.

Orchid – Refined Beauty

Pear Blossom - Lasting Friendship

Violet – Faithfulness

Peony – Bashfulness

Yellow Tulip – Hopelessly In Love

Primrose – Eternal Love

Poppy - Imagination

Red Rose – True Love

Tuberose - Pleasure

Magnolia – Dignity

Pink Rose – Friendship

Snow Drop - Hope

Giving a gift of flowers need not be sparked by a special occasion either – any day is a great day to give a gift of beauty.

Don’t forget Mother’s Day on Sunday 13 May – flowers and floral inspired gifts are perfect for all the special “mums” in your life!

Mr and Mrs Nik (our wonderful friends and hosts) left to go to a ball around 3.30pm.

Evy and I were getting ready to head into town for the night.  The cats, in particular Osiris the boy cat, were really howling.  I thought I’d take both cats for a walk to settle them down.

The cats are not allowed in the complex as they have had complaints about them stealing fish out of someone’s pond.  Couple that with a culture that is not very accepting of felines as a pet, these gorgeous cats need to be safe and sound indoors.  Mr and Mrs Nik walk the cats daily.  They have these “jackets” hooked up to a lead, so we velcro them on; Evy takes Isis, I take Osiris.

We take them for a nice long walk and on the way back, Osiris does this manoeuvre and escapes from the lead!

Evy and I are beside ourselves.  We start looking for him and eventually find him in this massive ornamental garden sitting on a big boulder.

My Bear Grylls skills come into action and I start climbing over walls, ducking under rocks, crawling through crevices trying to sneak up on this very naughty boy to bring him home.

We eventually decide to call Mrs Nik to advise her that we cannot retrieve one of the most precious things in her life.  She explains to us how to lure him back by shaking his treat bag with his perceived scooby snacks, but now we have lost him for good.

So we head back home and do what Bear Grylls would do, open a bottle of French Champagne, prepare a platter of cheese and bikkies and just hope that Osiris comes home!

After a couple of glasses of bubbles, the sun is starting to go down, the mosquitoes have eaten us alive but we take on the elements and give it another shot.  By this stage we have hundreds of locals hanging from their high rise balconies pointing to the empty pool yelling at us in Cantonese!

Evy is shaking those scooby snacks as if she was performing for a win on Dancing With The Stars!  Osiris launches for the scooby snack and we capture him, only for him to jump out of Evy’s arms!

We run at him like two bulls chasing a matador and steer him back home and eventually through the front door!  Lock, bolt, snip!

I find myself wondering…

Did I remember to thank you

for all that you have done for me?

For all of the times you were by my side

to help me celebrate my successes

and accept my defeats?

Or for teaching me the value of hard work,

good judgement, courage, and honesty?

I wonder if I’ve ever thanked you

for the simple things…

The laughter, smiles, and quiet times we’ve shared?

If I have forgotten to express my gratitude

For any of these things,

I am thanking you now…

and I am hoping that you’ve known all along,

how very much you are loved and appreciated.

- Author Unknown

How long have you been working at Yayme!?

I have been working at Yayme! since September 2010.

As Production Supervisor, how do you find you spend most of your time?

My day starts with downloading and importing cycles, preparing them for manufacturing and progresses into consolidation and dispatch of products. Every day is different though. Some are perfect and others are challenging. 

Do you have a favourite aspect of the job?

We have a great team – I enjoy working with them.

Can you tell us something about yourself that might surprise others to know?

I arrived from the Ukraine, aged 17 on my own, to stay with an uncle.  I am now fluent in English and all of my family are now here.

What is your favourite Yayme! product?

From the moment I first saw the Polka Dot Sports Bags I fell in love with them. They are cheerful and super cute.  

“The more that you read, the more things you will know.  The more that you learn, the more places you’ll go.”  Dr Seuss definitely knew what he was talking about.

Encouraging your child to read is easier when they understand that reading is fun and something they should want to do rather than something you have to force them to do.  The trick is to find something they actually enjoy reading.  It doesn’t really matter what it is – as long as they are reading – comic books included!

We all remember the books we HAD to read as as a child and somehow much of the enjoyment becomes lost along the way.  Help them find titles and series that appeal to them and they will soon find they have a lifelong friend by way of their books.  And of course it definitely helps when they see you reading for pleasure as well.

If you would like some book recommendations, check out the International Reading Association website.  The site features Children’s Choices Reading Lists – these are book lists chosen by kids themselves.  The website is a trusted source of book recommendations and is used worldwide by teachers, librarians, parents—not to mention children!

Also visit The Children’s Book Council of Australia to see the book of the year and other notable reads.

And while you are browsing, don’t forget to check out these personalised library bags.

“The greatest gift is a passion for reading.” – Elizabeth Hardwick

Baby showers are generally held a month or two before the birth of the baby although it is becoming more common to hold a shower after the baby has been born – a kind of “welcome to the world” party so to speak.

On most occasions a friend or co-worker will throw a baby shower on the mother’s behalf but nowadays really, anything goes!  Family members can host the showers and mum and dad can even attend.  Baby showers are becoming more untraditional in their approach so do whatever is most comfortable and fun for all.

Central to any party regardless of when it is held is great food.  Finger food works well but again it is down to the host and the kind of event you have in mind.  And don’t forget the dessert – you can go with something simple like these Mini Boston Cream Pies or something much more elaborate.  A great cake will go down well and if you are lacking in the ideas department, then just have a look at these cakes for some inspiration.

When it comes to selecting gifts for the babies, again it will depend on the specific circumstances.  If you know the birth of the baby or even the name then picking the gifts may be easier than if you were buying for either a boy or girl.  The choice of gift will also depend on whether this is their first baby or whether they have other siblings.  If you are purchasing for a baby shower, then the host should be able to provide you with some great ideas.

Most importantly however, baby showers are to help relax and spoil the mum-to-be prior to or after the big event - and whether it is her first or third baby, this “me” time will definitely be welcomed with open arms.

All you need is a bunch of colourful food items to create the colours you need for your eggs.

Add ½ cup water in each saucepan along with your food item, boil and simmer until you get your desired colour.

Pour through a strainer and let cool until you are ready to start creating.

Choose from these ingredients to get some really rich shades.

• Carrots
• Blueberries
• Raspberries
• Coffee
• Spinach
• Strawberries
• Red Cabbage
• Beets
• Raspberries
• Turmeric

To add some style to your egg, draw on the egg with crayon prior to dyeing or wrap with rubber bands.

Don’t forget to boil your eggs before colouring to avoid any unnecessary accidents!