The last week or so have been very busy at work, school and home! Scarlett had two friends for a sleepover last weekend. We put a big mattress and duvet in the lounge for them to sleep on - but they ended up sleeping on the sofas! It was remarkably tame with lots of girly things like SingStar, nail painting and fashion parades.
At school they really got behind Cup Cake Day. Scarlett and 4 others baked around 150 cupcakes and sold them to other students for a gold coin donation - raising nearly $200 for the SPCA.
Tasty treats
Speaking of things yummy, here's a way to liven up your next children's birthday party with fantastic Kiwi-themed party cakes!
Win the ultimate kiwi cake-making cookbook!
Goss Girls
See what new products we featured on Goss Girls this week
WOW! Check out which CD entered the album charts at Number 1 this week! It's someone who went to school in Hamilton!! Find out on the NZ Music Charts.
This week's tip from The Happiness Project
Nine Tips for Giving Praise - and Why to Bother
1. Be specific. Vague praise doesn’t make much of an impression.
2. Find a way to praise sincerely. It’s a rare situation where you can’t identify something that you honestly find praiseworthy.
3. Never offer praise and ask for a favor in the same conversation. It makes the praise seem like a set-up.
4. Don’t over-praise. Keep it credible and realistic.
5. Look for something less obvious to praise – a more obscure accomplishment or quality that a person hasn’t heard praised many times before.
6. Don’t hesitate to praise people who get a lot of praise already. I’ve noticed this myself; even people who get constant praise – or perhaps especially people who get constant praise – crave praise. Is this because praiseworthy people are often insecure? Or does getting praise lead to a need for more praise? I’m not sure, but it seems often to be the case.
7. Praise people behind their backs. The praised person usually hears about the praise, and behind-the-back praise seems more sincere than face-to-face praise.
8. Beware when a person asks for your honest opinion. This is often a clue that they're seeking reassurance, not candor.
9. Don’t damn with faint praise. “You were so lousy when you started, you’ve really come a long way” or “You did a much better job than I expected” is not praise that will warm people’s hearts.
Closet.co.nz has collaborated with a group of New Zealand’s top designers, artists & illustrators to create a series of unique, t-shirt designs based on a favourite home grown song lyric of their choosing, the result is WORDSBY.
Curated by award winning artist, designer & illustrator Kelvin Soh, WORDSBY twists the classic band t-shirt, by shifting emphasis from the band to the song, and invites interesting mash ups, personal stories and surprising interpretations.
Along with the traditional shop a blog site has been set up for a more in-depth look at the artists involved, current & future submissions as well as a full list of NZ songs that have signed up for WORDSBY.
Bands include Shihad, The Clean, Dimmer, The Verlaines, Hello Sailor, The Mint Chicks, Ladyhawke, The Exponents, The Naked and Famous and K’Lee.
Designers involved include Special Problems, Kelvin Soh, Juliet Arnott, Sarah Maxey, Sarah Larnach, Erin Forsyth, Tom Henry, Henrietta Harris, Minna Pesonen, Simon Chesterman.
What I'm reading...
True-Life Laughs From Sideswipe - Ana Samways
One of my favourite newspaper columns is now a book! Find out more - and win yourself a copy!
What I'm listening to...
Symphonicities - Sting
Find out what makes Sting's new album so unique - and win yourself a copy! This is the music he will be playing at next year's Mission concert in the Hawke's Bay.
Music News this week includes the latest on U2 in New Zealand, Jamiroquai and Lady Gaga. Find out what's new.
A friend of mine has started a new project where she and her family (husband and 3 children!) are endeavouring to become self-sustaining by the end of the year. For them as a family, it means becoming as self-sufficient as possible and trying to support themselves without such a heavy reliance on their current consumer lifestyle - the aim being that this will have an impact not only on their budget but on their health and well-being also. You can follow Penny's blog and maybe pick up a few tips to improve your lifestyle. Good luck!
Every Thursday on MORE FM Waikato I catch up with Myrddin Gwynedd (he used to be on TV3's Sunrise) and he has ALL the gossip! Check out his website for the latest on who's doing what to whom, and how often!
If you're on Facebook, link to my Facebook Fan Page and you'll be the first to know when I add new competitions or giveaways to KMTV!
Good News Guys
Apparently guys aren't too good at buying their own underwear!
Help is at hand...
On Que
The latest issue of Que magazine features an article about me and the boys on MORE FM Waikato.
Que is a new Waikato lifestyle magazine. You can read the article here.
At last!
I've completed my New Year's resolution - to write a Mills & Boon-type novel!
You can read it here. Let me know what you think - would it make a good movie?
Go here for my favourite websites including some where you can get things for free!
GRAPHIC DESIGN WITH THE X FACTOR
