We did it!!!

Hello! Just a quick post today, but we promise another one is on the way!

We opened the Cackleberry Kids & Friends store last night in conjunction with a fabulous workshop "Summer Style & Colour - Get Inspired & have fun doing it!". It was such a wonderful night and those who attended had such a great time.

The second workshop was held this morning, with more fab reviews!

We are so excited and just loved how everyone ooh'd and ahh'd when they walked into Cackleberry Kids & Friends - I am so so proud of my wonderful team and couldn't have done it without them!

We are just going through and organising the photos and we'll get them up on the blog tomorrow so that we can share the event with everyone!

My heartfelt thanks to Amanda, Anita, Lin and Laa

The Cackleberry Kids xx

Yummo - Bouillabaisse

My latest cooking adventure was had on Sunday night and I have to say I am quite impressed with myself - I have been wanting to cook a Bouillabaisse (seafood stew) for many many years, but didn't feel confident enough to pull it all together..... but alas I found a simple form recipe in the recent edition of the Donna Hay Magazine (Issue 45 - June/July 2009).

So off I went yesterday afternoon on a shopping expedition for seafood! My list included; mussels, green prawns, white fish fillets, fennel and some beautiful vine ripe tomatoes..... umm yum!

The great thing about this recipe is that it only took about 30mins to get it all prepared and into the pot and only another 10mins to cook it.

It was another chilly night here in Canberra, so to be able to sit down to this beautiful steaming pot of seafood stew and fresh baked bread was so so good! .... and we ate two bowls each!!

The Cackleberry Kids xx

It's a Trifle Exciting!!

The world is changing so fast these days that to stay competitive and to stay front of mind you need to change the way in which you think.

At Cackleberry Kids, we always try and think way outside the square. Most importantly for us, we are on the look out for new ways that will allow us to do business better, learn as much as we can, carry out a research on new trends and to look at different opportunities that may present themselves.

I've found over the years that by taking hold of an opportunity can lead you on some exciting adventures and really push you in a new direction. Most opportunities have been great for us and while I'm happy to admit some.... not so good - they did allow us to learn from our mistakes.

We at Cackleberry Kids are starting on a another new adventure and we are so so proud to be a part of Trifle.

Trifle, is an online shopping experience for the consumer like no other anywhere in the world. Customers can shop from a choice of over 50 hand picked designers – all in the one place. Better still customers can buy from different designers, from different parts of the world, in different currencies with one click.Trifle is made up of over 50 designers from various sectors of the kids products industry. The store is made up of high end, well established designers, niche companies, handmade artists and one or two start up companies who we believe in.

To find out more about Trifle, please visit the Trifle Notebook at http://triflenotebook.blogspot.com/ and meet some amazing Designers and wonderfully talented people!

Who knows where this adventure may take us..... but the possibilities are endless and for us that's exciting!

The Cackleberry Kids xx

We have a Winner

Congratulations to Kelli from the US who was the winner of the fantastic giveaway ran by Monster's in my House!

We are organising your very own Cackleberry Kids Signature Towel to be sent of to you today ... and because you mentioned how much you loved our Bubba Louie printed Tee, we thought it only appropriate to send you one of our beautiful Bubba Louie Towels.

Our thanks goes to Monster's in my House for their wonderful review of Cackleberry Kids and for hosting this giveaway!

The Cackleberry Kids xx

Celebrating Women!

I love meeting and reading about fantastic and inspirational women doing great things with their businesses. I have been so fortunate to have met some of the most amazing business women via a fantastic network that brings women together in an environment that I've not ever experienced in the past.

This network is Skout Trade Fair and it's founder, Louise Donnelly-Davey has really taken social networking to a new level. She has created an environment that makes you feel confident, successful and really allows you grow.

Skout- Kids Product Directory (KPD) is your online resource for finding the hottest kids, baby, maternity and yummy mummy products from around the Globe. So if you have some time, please go and have a look - you'll love it!! http://skouttradefair.ning.com/

Another fabulous friend I've met along the way is the wonderful and creative Jacqui from Mee a Bee! She is amazingly talented and an all round great person - her designs are heartfelt and unique, with a high standard of quality from the fabric selection to the finished product.

Just this week Mee a Bee received 10 out of 10 Review from Best Buys 4 Baby - and it is so deserved!

http://bloomingnihon.blogspot.com/2009/06/10-out-of-10-for-mee-bee.html

Mee a Bee is also participating in the upcoming Mathilda's Market being held in Sydney on the 5th July at St Ignatius College Riverview from 9am to 1pm.... so for your little bit of Mee a Bee to take home - pay a visit on the 5th!

If you can't make it on the 5th, Mee a Bee has a fabulous Esty shop - so don't forget to check it out if you get a chance - it's worth it! http://www.etsy.com/shop.php?user_id=5367229

The Cackleberry Kids xx

It's space Mummy & it's sooo cool!

What can I say other than I am in love with the wall decals made by Stickytiki! No really - I wish we had these as kids!

We are working with Kim and her wonderful products as part of our new Cackleberry Kids & Friends concept store and we have been playing around with the different samples that Kim sent over the ditch for us to have a look at.

Lin and I have had so much fun putting them up on the wall and the kids just love them. Zoe (Lin's little girl) has fallen in love with the Giraffes and my little one Ethan is so beside himself with excitement with the Space Odyssey.

Can't wait to share these wonderful wall decals with the Mums and Dads of Canberra and seeing the joy and huge smiles jump off the face of the kids when they get to take one home for their rooms!

So exciting!!

The Cackleberry Kids xx

Sophisticated Elegance for Children's Fashion

That's right an evolution is on the way for Children's Fashion in Canberra. At Cackleberry Kids and Friends we have been working away at pulling some of the most amazing local and international designers together to create a very special store.

Cackleberry Kids & Friends will be more than just a shopping trip it's going to be an experience like no other in Canberra.

Today we announce another two Fabulous friends who are joining us in store:

The lovely and talented Stickytiki - the most amazing wall decals you've ever seen!

The fantastic and forward thinking Petit - stunning products for little ones!

And we have a few more Friends joining us soon.... so stay tuned....

Over the coming weeks we will be featuring each Designer as part of our "Designer Spotlight" so keep an eye out for those! There are some amazing business women and designers that you will feel inspired by.

A few other little projects are also underway and we are working on some workshops that will change the way you look at summer and colour.... more soon!

Busy Busy getting all this up and running - fun and exciting at the same time.

Details of the opening party will also be confirmed soon, but in the meantime, here is an update picture of Lin's mural - just have to paint in the leaves and trees.

Have a fab day!

The Cackleberry Kids xx