Bakers Twine Pale Pink/White available now!!!

So here it is the newest colour of cotton twine available at Koko Vanilla. 

Pale Pink/White

You can purchase it in store here pale pink/white twine.

Below is a photo of all the colours available.  You can purchase 5 rolls in one listing as I know its too hard to pick just one colour, and the rolls work out a little cheaper that way also.  Find them in store here.  Please be sure to tell me which colours you would like in the comments otherwise you will recieve the default colours I have listed on site.  There are 8 gorgeous colours to choose from.

Bakers Twine Cotton Assorted Colours



Hope you get a chance to enjoy the sunshine.  I am torn between sitting inside and getting work done, and going out to enjoy the sunshine.  I know what I must do but also know what I would like to do.  I might sneak 15 minutes later on in the afternoon just to enjoy this beautiful weather.

Anna xx

Have you filled your cup first??

I greeted the day today with a mixture of exhaustion and relief.  As much as I love supporting the school with their fair and helping to coordinate and run craft, it really couldn't be at a busier time for me.  I feel as though I put my life and work aside to assist on and off throughout the year and then a big chunk at this time of year.  I enjoy doing it but then there is the other side of the equation, what have I neglected and now need to catch up on.  I once read this amazing saying which has stuck with me since I first saw it.  "When you say yes to something or someone what are you saying no to"  So I try to remember that before I say yes to a commitment.  For me it is so easy to be the accomodating people pleaser, which makes me feel good because I have contributed to something and done an act of service, however the flip side is sort of like a hangover the residue of the adrenaline kick of trying to squeeze more into an already overloaded schedule.  Another great metaphor which I have heard is "When your cup is filled and overflowing only then you can give from your saucer."  Okay it sounds kind of corny, but it really does make sense and it's an easy visual to have.  Fill your own cup first, when you try to give from a half filled cup you only do a diservice to yourself and the people your are helping are probably only getting a half hearted effort from you anyway.

I have to say that it really is most of the same parents and teachers that year in and year out  put their hands up to help out, to organise, to run and then ultimately to donate and support these events.  It's these amazing people that make it happen and go beyond their job description of parent and teacher.  It's not always about donating or spending money either, that's easy enough, but when you give time and energy and enthusiasm, that I believe, is even more priceless at these events, because without all that positive energy and momentum it wouldn't happen and wouldn't be very successful.

That said it was a wonderful and fun day, perfect weather, beautiful sunshine, a great time chatting and laughing with friends and the kids just had the best day ever.  After all it is all for them.  My day started at the fair at 12.30pm and we didn't finish packing up our stall until 7.45pm a very loooong day.  Needless to say I had a very early night last night.

So today has been catch up day around here and I am feeling a little more on top of things but there is still a lot more to be done before I feel like I am really back under control.

Anyway I didn't get a chance to show some wall decor I created for the craft stall at our fair.  I just loved how these canvases turned out and I almost didn't want to give them up.  However, lucky I did because they both sold within the first 1/2 hour of the fair starting which always makes me feel good, when my artwork is appreciated.  I had lots of fun making them and most of the supplies can be found on site.  All that you need to purchase that isn't on site is modge podge, a canvas, butterfly and flower nestabilities and paint brush.  The rest can all be found here.

Dimensional Butterfly Canvas

Vintage Flower Dimensional Canvas

That's the weekend update for me.  Off to prep for the week ahead.

Enjoy the last few hours of the weekend!!

Anna xx

Whistle while you work........ Order Turnaround Update!!

I could really use these guys right now hah!!.  I'll just have to settle for hubby and the 3 kids who kinda help sort of.

Just popping in to let you know as you may already have gathered it's the silly season, which officially started for me a couple of weeks ago.

Please be a little more patient to recieve your orders, if you need an order asap, I completely understand and I will bump it up to the top of the list.  However you must send me a separate email to let me know, don't just add it in the comments section as I may not see it right away.  Currently order turnaround is 3 - 4 days. 

Another note while I think about it Bakers Twine is high on everyone's list please don't leave it to the last minute to purchase, I am trying to keep stock levels high around here, but I can't guarantee my suppliers will always have enough stock leading up to Christmas.  Now is the time to purchase if you want it for Chrissie Wrapping.  I have a few hundred rolls of stock arriving this week so to be sure you won't miss out place your order this week.  I am also very excited to announce that coming with this batch of twine is a new colour pale pink/white.  Its just gorgeous and I can't wait to photograph it and pop it on site.  I am expecting this order today or tomorrow so stay tuned for that one I will add a photo here as soon as its in stock.

For those of you waiting for a Christmas Card Kit, I am scheduling to release it early next week.

Anna xx

Dessert Table Decor - Absolutely Divine...

Where have I been that I have never come across this concept before??

Oh my!! I think heaven truly is on earth.  Dessert and Papercrafts all on one table.  More than that a career doing this sort of thing.  You have to check out Amy's blog .  I spent hours checking out this blog last night and then looking at the links to other blogs.  Oh imagine doing this, not the baking part, but combining with somone and doing the decorating part.  How much fun would this be and how fabulous does it look.  Who new a dessert table could look soooo good.

I have my daughters birthday coming up later on in November, I have some ideas churning around in my already very overcrowded mind LOL.  Feeling very inspired at the moment not sure why, maybe its too much blog surfing and the spring weather, or maybe because the festive season is coming up.  Either way its time to log of and get something done.

By the way Happy Melbourne Cup Day - Hope you back a winner!!

Anna xx

HAPPY HALLOOOOWEEEEEEN!!!!

Okay so I caved this year and decided to get into the Halloween spirit with my kids, including buying and carving a pumpkin.  Yes  I know it's an American thing, but really who needs an excuse to get the creative juices flowing and act like a kid again and be silly and get inspired.  My husband just watched me this morning as though I was from another planet professing that clearly I have too much time on my hands and why has the pumpkin got a smile on it's face since its Halloween.  Well my pumpkin is a positive thinking pumpkin that knows all about the law of attraction, hah!!  No answer to that one.  Further to that, to the contrary I actually have so much to do at the moment that I really needed the mental break from how much I have to finish in the next week.  Sometimes its good to just switch off and do something totally different so you come back to your work a little more refreshed, relaxed and inspired.

Anyway here are a few shots of our decorating today, love the fake cobwebs from lombards, that stuff is so cool.  More photos to come later of the kids costumes!!

Of course the last photo is of our lolly jar nice and full ready for trick or treat later tonight.

So hope you are getting into the spirit even if its just an excuse to be silly and forget about your troubles for a while and have some fun even if the weather is overcast and gloomy, cold and rainy, perfect halloween weather really!!

A. xx

Snippets of my week

This week has been so busy I finally have a day to breathe and catch up for a few hours. Here are a couple of things that have kept me on my toes...

International Teachers Day - which is today by the way - Happy Teachers day to all the wonderful teachers out there - You Guys Rock!!

Here are some snippets of some other card orders I had for this day, I haven't photographed all the cards but here are a couple I did remember to photograph before handing over, showing you some great ways to use our punches and papers and embellishments on site.

Middle of this week my kitchen table looked like this for a day and 1/2 which drove me crazy whilst I was finishing 50 Birthday Invitations for my Mums 80th Birthday later this year. I recieved a little reminder whilst doing these about how much I love the creative side of this business but not the repetitive side of making 50 of one design. By the end of it I was so over it. Clearly concentrating and focusing doing the same repetitive thing isn't my strong point! LOL.



I also made some time to head down to the Rasberry Trade event and picked up some new gorgeous supplies I will be loading on site shortly as well as meet the lovely girls behind the scenes at Rasberry. This was conventiently located two doors down from my brothers cafe on Canterbury Road - Cafe Lucci. So of course I had to drop in for a coffee and they do make the best coffee there, as well as the fun and friendly atmosphere my brother is famous for.



Finally some more cute Christmas tags for our school fair. So that's it from me I have at least 20 more things to finish off on my list today, so I'm off to make a start.

Enjoy the Sunshine
Anna xx

Cute Christmas Polkadot Snowman Tags

Today has been one of those days, you know the type I talking about, where the day just starts on a funny note, like my son announcing he feels sick and is staying home, so all of sudden you see all the plans you had for that day just drift on by and then before you know it your back peddling the whole day through. Then to top it off I get a midday call from my eldest daughter who has left something behind can I go and drop it off and of course being an accomodating mum I jump in the car and bring it to her.

So its 3.15pm, I've managed a little cleaning, two lots of coffee with my sister-in-law and my neighbour, 4 orders packed and posted a quick trip to the shops and not much to show for the rest of the day.

So I decided I may as well procrastinate a little more and show you some cute little tags I designed for our school fair coming up in a couple of weeks . A lovely mum offered to make them up for me as I am just running out of time with lots of projects going on at once. This is the craziest time of year for me.

But I have decided these are so cute that I will be making a batch up myself and adding them to the website. So so adorable. If only we got to have a white christmas just once, how cute would that be.

Okay well off to do school pick up and hope for a more productive day tomorrow.

Anna