18
Apr
2011
by Emilyin News & Updates, Personal Tags: Captain Chaos, kids, pomodoro, the mummy diraies, three kids, trouble monsters, work from home
I was asked to do a guest blog post at
The Mummy Diaries and well, lets face it, who doesn’t like talking about themselves
Check it out on their site and read what other Mum’s have to say!
Here’s my blog post below though (complete with pictures – as they didn’t make it as fas as their website some how. )
WAHM versus the WORLD
So, I just got asked to write a guest post for ‘The Mummy Diaries’ and I jumped at the chance to hop up on my soap box. Lucky for me it’s big enough to also house my three kids, five year old Captain Chaos and 19 month old twin terrors the Trouble Monsters. I am a graphic designer with degree in Design and Multimedia, earned before my babies were even dreamed of and I work from home running my own little design house ‘
Designem’.
If anyone ever said that working from home while your children were small is easy then I’d say they probably haven’t tried it. Every now and again I have considered day-care, or even a Nanny, but alas we have never quite been in a position to afford it. So instead we muddle along the best we can, and so far as long as I don’t really want to much time to myself it seems to be working.
The biggest most valuable bit of information I could dish out to anyone else is also the thing I struggle the most with ‘Time management’. So I have this
and if nothing else it IS rather colourful. Honestly though, I couldn’t live without it … because I find if I don’t write it down (in my diary rather than random bits of paper) then it’s lost …
which is hardly surprising when surrounded by so much mess. But that is another post for another day (Attention Deficit versus the World perhaps?)
A new thingy that I have implemented to stay on task (and also to make sure I don’t get overly focused on a project to find out hours later that I have accomplished NOT much and wasted a LONG time, is the
Pomodoro Technique (also found on
Facebook).
In short, this technique uses a kitchen timer (I actually went out and brought myself a tomato the same as their logo) set to 25 minutes, some paper – pen etc, a goal, and just like that you are all set. For some reason the 25 minute mark is the perfect time to get stuff done in. It guarantees you take adequate breaks (five minutes for every Pomodoro – with a longer break once every four Pomodoros (4x25mins), which in turn helps you stay focused. And if like me you often charge at an hourly rate it can also help you track how much time you spend on a project, and what has been accomplished in that time frame.
A think I have implemented in to my daily schedule is “Kid time” I had a little panic a few weeks back that when my babies are grown all they will remember is Mummy sat in the office attached to her laptop, and this is certainly not a legacy that I want to pass on to them. The distracted Mummy who doesn’t hear their cry’s (insert sad face) so instead I have blocked out time for them (fluorescent green in colour). That and actually leaving the house with them in the morning, and since I am already on the school run for Captain Chaos it’s not actually that hard. So we now have two playgroups and swimming during the week (which the LOVE), a day for coffee groups and a ‘free day’ to hang out at home, or go shopping or whatever.
This way I can get them home, fed, changed and bed all before 12pm. Which also means I get my own lunch in peace (half an hour of blessed peace where I can eat my lunch and read my book) before I have to sit my butt back at my computer and start work. Here between 12.30pm and 2.20pm I can do my best to as constructive with my time as possible and get some work done! Before getting the girls up, changed and rush back to the school for CC. Am I boring you yet? I hope not because my day is only just half done.
After schools are CHAOS, and my son the Captain of it. His school teacher suspects ADD (apple doesn’t fall far from the tree me thinks) so I do my best to get him out of his uniform, afternoon tea and home work as quick as possible before Sponge Bob starts at 3.30pm and the witching hour sets in. If I can manage to do all that then all three kids will play nicely, if it drags on then world war three/four/five usually ensues.
Now I have to say, bed time in house keeps getting earlier and earlier. Tonight was 6pm, which is saying something since before school started it was 7.30pm. OH my finely tuned 9.30am wakers are well in truly broken, but I can’t say I don’t mind the rewards of it being 7.17pm, having worked successfully for the last 60 odd minutes and having had them in all in bed by 6.
One thing I always do with CC is read to him at night. Currently we are reading “Matilda” by Roald Dahl, he doesn’t always have the patience for it, but I think the exercise of sitting still and listening is really starting to pay off. We are over half way through, and at the weekend I caught him flicking to the end to ensure a happy ending (which he deducted WAS indeed happy since Matilda and Ms Honey hugging). He is really enjoying this time we spend together, without his sister and without the stress of homework and the witching hour. Next I think I will read him The Twits, or maybe the BFG. I loving that he wants more than “The cat sat on the mat”.
But no, just in case you think my day ends there you are very much mistaken! There is washing and dishes to be done, a man to talk to and spend time with, and then after that a couple more hours of multitasking between WORK and catching up on my favourite television shows and my 35 minute stint on the Cross Trainer! No wonder I fall in to bed at 11pm and am generally unconscious until the following day.
But would I swap my life? Do less work? Hire a Nanny? Yeah, probably not! (The only thing I could really do with would be a house keeper LOL)
29
Mar
2011
by Emilyin General Design, News & Updates, Personal Tags: rewarding logo design, yummy cupcakes
Not that all clients should reward me in such YUM ways but these cup cakes smell divine!
Thank you once again Crystal from the
Cupcake Princess! This is one product that I have
NO trouble endorsing
You can check out her
website here, where she is proudly displaying her new logo.
I’m just editing this to add, I just had one of the caramel ones and OMGosh it was like I died and went to heaven xxx
28
Feb
2011
by Emilyin General Design, News & Updates, Personal Tags: avatars, chch, Christchurch, earthquake, kia kahah
After Thursdays feelings of futility faded I was left with the strong desire to do something constructive. Since then I have acutally gotten my chance to do just that! I have organised donations for two Chch refugees with littlies, designed art work for a charity Auction, Actually
donated my self to said Auction! (
Bidded on the Auctions hehe) Designed Art Work for
Tales for Christchurch and now designed a lovely little Avatar that I am going to use in my next fund raising scheme.
Sooo … Donate $5 to any Christchurch Earthquake relief and email me (chcheqappeal [at] designem.co.nz) the receipt (as proof) along with any other visuals you want included and I will personalise your very own Kia Kaha Chch logo for your Facebook or other Avatar (Just let me know the dimensions.)
Kia Kaha translates from Maori to – “Be strong and fearless!” “Stand tall!” and “Be Proud!”
I don’t acutally want to be handling any money so it would be best to donate to the following list:
A Mayoral fund has been set up for donations to the citizens of Christchurch using the following BNZ bank account: 02-0800-084958-000.
Donations can be made to the Red Cross online or via the GrabOne website orfundraiseonline.co.nz, as the Red Cross site has been crashing.
Donations can be made to the Salvation Army by calling 0800 53 00 00 (specify that your donation is for the ‘Canterbury Earthquake Appeal’) or at:
• Any ANZ Bank branch: Account number 01-1839-0188939-00
• Any National Bank branch: Account number 06-0869-0548507-00
• Any Westpanisterc Bank branch: Account number 03-0207-0617331-00
• Any ASB Bank branch: Account number 12-3205-0146808-00
• Any BNZ Bank branch: Account number 02-0500-0982004-000
• Any Kiwibank branch: Account number: 38-9009-0759479-00
Donations can be made to the Rotary New Zealand World Community Service here.
Donations can be made to the Caritas Aotearoa New Zealand website, by calling 0800 22 10 22, or by post: Caritas, PO Box 12193, Thorndon, Wellington, 6144. Mark correspondence: “Canterbury Earthquake Appeal”.
Vodafone users can donate to the Red Alert Canterbury Earthquake Appeal by texting “Quake” to 333 to make a $3 donation to the Red Cross Canterbury Earthquake Appeal.
Across the Tasman, the Commonwealth Bank of Australia is also accepting donations for the New Zealand Red Cross.
Britons can donate to the New Zealand Red Cross online here.
Alternatively UK Vodafone customers can give £5 by texting “NZQUAKE” to 70801. UK Vodafone will donate an extra £1 for each text.
24
Feb
2011
by Emilyin News & Updates, Personal Tags: Christ Church, Donations, Earth Quake, Facebook, Feb 2011, Red Cross
While watching the stories of loss, and witnessing the utter devastation of Christ Church, my heart breaks for each and every person who has lost their lives in this horrific way.
Our homes are supposed to be our safe haven, and when something like a natural disaster reaches a hand in to displace it, it truly brings it home to me that we are just renting our space in this world.
Tomorrow I am 31. Birthdays are traditionally a time of celebration; obviously I don’t feel much like doing so. In the past I have suffered guilt when disasters pass me over, but having children has made me thankful that we are ‘safe’.
The human spirit however is resilient, and our people brave. I am sure that many will want to stay and reclaim what the earth has taken away, and rebuild their city in a way that will withstand what the earth can dish out. In this time when most people don’t have a lot of spare cash and the cost of
Milk is more than
Coke people are still digging deep and giving what they can.
I don’t think there is one person in New Zealand who doesn’t know a person who has been affected by this Quake and I believe each and every one of us wants to help in any way we can.
I myself am donating the only commodity I can really, my time. So keep an eye out on TM as my ‘services’ as a Graphic Designer are up for Auction.
The generosity of people is amazing, heart-warming and a balm to the pain this Earth Quake has shaken up.
Please take a look at
http://www.facebook.com/chchcharityauctions Donations for the Charity Auction now reach 146 items! The Auctions are going to be run on Trade Me and should be up and running for Monday. (I will keep you posted) All proceeds are going too donated to the Red Cross. I can vouch for the legitimacy of this Fund Raising as I am friends with both Jess and Kelly the lovely ladies who are organising it. And have deigned more than one logo for Jess!!!
I am donating a Basic Logo Package and Vector Art work and my amazing beautiful sister (also a Jess – Otherwise known as ‘Girl Meets Uke’ is donating her skills as a trained Opera singer for your Wedding, Funeral, or Special Occasion (We have farmed her out for all of these things;-). SO keep an eye out, you may just nab a bargain and also support our Friends and Family in Canterbury.
I will leave you with some messages I have seen posted on
Facebook.
Sam Harvey:
We’re now working with the new Brighton police and using the beach campus as a welfare centre. So proud of our guys today. Feel free to come down to help man the welfare centre (shifts are 8am – 2pm or 2pm – 8pm) or to join our teams who are vo…lunteering around new Brighton. 111 Seaview Road.
If you know the whereabouts of Shane Tomlin please email
camp...@tv3.co.nz
If you have friends or family in Christchurch who need to wash laundry,Fisher & Paykel have set up laundering facilities to help.
Located in the following places:
National Marae, 250 Pagers Road, Aranui. Corner Berswick & Charles Street (situated in a Portacom), Kaiapoi. Fisher & Paykel site, 79 Shands Rd, Hornby
And taken from
The NZ Hearld Site
All offers of help can be emailed to
E-mail Obfuscated, which is a central co-ordination point.
Hands-on help
Once again the University of Canterbury Students Association is inviting people to join the student volunteer army.
Volunteers should arrive at the UCSA car park on Ilam Road between 9am and 10am and bring shovels, wheelbarrows, gloves, raincoats, sunblock, drink bottles. Find out more about theStudentVolunteerArmy on Facebook.
The Auckland University Students Association is looking to get volunteers during the university’s Orientation next week to help gather donations to go to the aid of victims of the earthquake. More information here.
Accommodation can be offered to those displaced – see here for more information.
People in Wellington who can offer accommodation to displaced Cantabrians can register by calling 04 801 4205 or emailing
E-mail Obfuscated with details. Those in Auckland who can offer a bed can call 0800 AUCKLAND to register.
Prime Minister John Key said the best way people from around New Zealand and the world can help is to make cash donations to help the city and its residents get back on their feet.
Donations
A Mayoral fund has been set up for donations to the citizens of Christchurch using the following BNZ bank account: 02-0800-084958-000.
Donations can be made to the Red Cross online or via the GrabOne website orfundraiseonline.co.nz, as the Red Cross site has been crashing.
Donations can be made to the Salvation Army by calling 0800 53 00 00 (specify that your donation is for the ‘Canterbury Earthquake Appeal’) or at:
• Any ANZ Bank branch: Account number 01-1839-0188939-00
• Any National Bank branch: Account number 06-0869-0548507-00
• Any Westpanisterc Bank branch: Account number 03-0207-0617331-00
• Any ASB Bank branch: Account number 12-3205-0146808-00
• Any BNZ Bank branch: Account number 02-0500-0982004-000
• Any Kiwibank branch: Account number: 38-9009-0759479-00
Donations can be made to the Rotary New Zealand World Community Service here.
Donations can be made to the Caritas Aotearoa New Zealand website, by calling 0800 22 10 22, or by post: Caritas, PO Box 12193, Thorndon, Wellington, 6144. Mark correspondence: “Canterbury Earthquake Appeal”.
Vodafone users can donate to the Red Alert Canterbury Earthquake Appeal by texting “Quake” to 333 to make a $3 donation to the Red Cross Canterbury Earthquake Appeal.
Across the Tasman, the Commonwealth Bank of Australia is also accepting donations for the New Zealand Red Cross.
Britons can donate to the New Zealand Red Cross online here.
Alternatively UK Vodafone customers can give £5 by texting “NZQUAKE” to 70801. UK Vodafone will donate an extra £1 for each text.
Pets and animals
The Christchurch SPCA has opened a Pet Emergency Earthquake Fund. You can donate money here or to the Westpac account 030802 0586429a> 00.
Paw Justice is sending food shipments to pets in Christchurch affected by the earthquake. Text “FOOD” to 4662 to donate $3.
Scam warning
The Ministry of Consumer Affairs is warning people about an email scam, which uses Christchurch’s earthquake as an opportunity to prey on the good will of New Zealanders.
Ministry watchdog Scamwatch said it had already received reports of emails sent from ‘James McCoy’, who claims to be from ‘Donate4Charity NZ’.
It suggests the recipient can be the New Zealand manager of the bogus charity in return for a 10 percent cut.
The ministry said giveaway signs of an email scam include a generic email address, poor grammar and spelling, and an offer of a cut for accepting money.
06
Feb
2011
by Emilyin General Design, Logo Design, Personal Tags: Captain Chaos, CupCake creationNz, logo design
Nic runs
CupCake CreatioNz from Facebook and out of the goodness of her heart she offered to make my son cupcakes for his birthday after I gave her some unsolicited advice about the T&C’s of running competitions on Facebook. I didn’t expect anything in return for this, in fact I just hoped she didn’t think I was being rude. But as many of you know FB can delete your business page without warning if you don’t adhere to their VERY very long long list or rules and regulations. To be honest I haven’t read them (TLDR) but if you want too, and have several hours free you can check them out
here. Or do what I did and read Belly Beyonds
cliff notes.
As a thank you for the time she will be slaving away over Captain Chaos’s birthday cup cakes I ‘vecotrized’ her logo. No I can’t take credit for the hand drawn work, that was done by someone far more talletented at this sort of illustration. But I just LOVED it so much I couldn’t help myself!
This is the orginal (I’ll ask Nic who drew this and plug them here, so check back later if you like it)
And of course, no Facebook business would be complete without a Profile piccy
03
Feb
2011
by Emilyin General Design, News & Updates, Personal Tags: Birthday, Captain Chaos, Invites
So my little Man is turning 5 OMGOSH I can hardly believe it. How did 5 years zoom past so fast? Combine that with the Trouble Monsters on their way to turning 2 and it’s enough to give you speed wobbles.
So, I really meant to get this post out earlier in the day, but as usual life has gotten in the way. This is what I got up to last night, designing the birthday card invites! He is so excited but overly focused on the Lollipops the Robots are holding haha.
And then we zoomed off to Harvey Normans this morning to get them printed! (We personalised the ones to his friends, these are the spare ones for the photo album.
Don’t forget to check out the competition I am running right now to
win a free basic logo package!
19
Oct
2010
by Emilyin General Design, Logo Design, Personal Tags: crazy woman, klick360, Simply Lush
At times I wonder if I have gone a tad crazy! As if I didn’t already have enough to do, I ‘waste’ my time entering a Logo Design Comp. Granted there is $250 Aussie dollars in it and who doesn’t need a bit of extra cash? I do have a bit of work on AND Three preschoolers!
Anyhoo, with all that a side, here is my revised entry for the
Simply Lush Logo at
Klick360, which despite my first reservation will keep my entertained when the work load is light.
Let me know if you like it
I LOVE feed back and can handle the constructive Critiques! (Well, mostly. I shall cry in the dark where you can’t see me =p)
02
Oct
2010
by Emilyin News & Updates, Personal Tags: Pain, poem
At the 11th hour I got my submission in to the
Pain Awareness Month Art Competition. To be honest I threw it all together in about half an hour, and that included the writing of the poem.
So yeah, here it is! In all it’s g(l)ory.
You can vote for it
here and find out more about
Pain Awareness Month.
They are having an
Facebook.
02
Aug
2010
by Emilyin Personal
Well, after having a look though my pitifully small amount of posts I thought I should update you all with a photo of my beautiful babies. Who I find surprisingly inspiring, despite the sleep deprivation!
They are almost 11 months old now! This photo was taken on our recent holiday to Hamilton Island.
Erynn and Violette 10 Months old
06
Feb
2010
by Emilyin News & Updates, Personal
So, here I am. Getting back in to the swing of things. I know I haven’t really posted much (or at all), but I have had to take a bit of an unscheduled break due to having gotten pregnant with twins! So now I am the proud Mamma of a 4 year old boy and two beautiful little girls. The sleep deprivation of the early weeks left me feeling rather uninspired but the girls are now five months old, sleeping better and I’m back on fine form and very excited about taking on some new design projects.
Watch this space as I post some blog entries about my latest design work.
But I will leave you with photo of my babies
Recent Comments