Friday 6 December 2019

DataBlock - the latest gadget to get

Datablock gadget
DataBlock gift

As if we don't have enough to worry about... Our data can be stolen at USB charging stations. This is a great gadget to keep your data safe. I got DataBlock as blog drop, but this is a great stocking filler for adults and children this Christmas. It retails between R100 - R150, and is available for a limited time for R99.

Did you know that South Africa has the third highest number of cyber crime victims worldwide, resulting in a loss of about R2.2 billion each year to cyber attacks? (SABRIC) That's scary!
Coined back in 2011, Juice Jacking is a cyber attack that commonly involves the installation of malware on to smartphones when inserting them into a USB charging terminal. This malware subsequently copies all the data stored on that device. The tech used to compromise a public USB charging point is easily available and therefore puts many of its users at risk. The data transferred includes images, phone numbers, passwords, which if in the wrong hands, can be very dangerous. 
DataBlock is a USB connection that, when added to your charger, will prevent your private information and data being stolen by a third party.



We love that the gadget accommodates most phones, even my iPhone! This will be added to my handbag arsenal. Thank you, DataBlock!

Check their website for the special!

Wednesday 4 December 2019

Home Affairs - things you learn while standing in a queue for 7 hours

Sitting in queue at South African Home Affairs
In the queue at Home Affairs

We spent a whole day at Home Affairs yesterday. It was something that had to be done, but we were not looking forward to doing it. It was a mountain to climb, and it was even worse than imagined! (We are so tired of things that are not working!)

The worst!


- There was a majestic queue that snaked already before eight when it was supposed to be opened at eight.

- They only opened at half past eight.

- We were told that they are off-line at about nine-ish. Most of us had taken day's leave and could not afford to take another day. So we decided to stay put. (Some left)

- We were standing in the sun, outside the premises, until 12 pm. Most of us (especially the white ones, especially) were burnt badly.

- We should have taken chairs, hats, umbrellas, water and food. (Most of us did not)

- The poor moms with babies and children. Some were allowed to go forward, but not all! It was crazy hot in the sun!


The unbelievable!


- They do not tell the people in which queues they should be. Even before entering, you should be told that there is collections queue, and a queue for the id's, passports etc. The poor new mom and dad who waited for hours with the rest of us... Just, No!!!

- The websites are not updated, and we rocked up with outdated forms.

- The websites are not updated with the latest information. WHY? It would help so much to know what to have and bring.

- We only get the forms inside, while the forms could have been dished out in the queues, and we could have started filling it in while waiting for hours.

- Put up signs to let people know how it works. Where should we stand?


The best of people!


- People tell their life stories in the queue. We heard of the couple who were robbed and had to get new id's and driver's licences. She could not get a temporary driver's licence before she got an id. She had to have a driver's licence to hire a car to get back to work... When we last saw her, she was not able to secure the driver's licence.

- People shared food, water, umbrellas and medication in the queue. There was a guy with an injured foot who said he stabbed himself while drunk. (What he said??) Everybody was concerned about the swollen foot.

- People kept people's places in the queue.

- There are some good people working at Home Affairs. There was a guy who kept on working through lunch-time to help people. The rest just disappeared for more than a hour.

- Some gave up their much coveted chairs inside in the queues for older people.


But it is done! We can tick this off!


LOOKING FORWARD TO...

A new year with new adventures!


MomAgain@40 family
Family at Home Affairs

TIP:

- Go at 14:30 in the afternoons. Things have quieten down quite a bit, and they have to get you through the queues. (Hopefully!)




Monday 25 November 2019

Waste 2 Toys - Emirates Airline Foundation supports Singakwenza NGO

Fouad Caunhye, Emirates Regional Manager, Southern Africa in front of Singakwenza NGO pwpt
Fouad Caunhye, Emirates Regional Manager, Southern Africa
This November we celebrate National Children's Day in South Africa, as well as being World Children's Day on 20 November. Emirates Foundation has a number of projects supporting children. The Singakwenza NGO is a Kwazulu-Natal based initiative that trains practitioners, parents and caregivers at grassroots level to provide fun educational activities to enable young children to learn through play. They use household waste to make toys and teaching resources. We attended a "Waste 2 Toys" workshop on Saturday, and it was an eye-opening experience.

The end goal is to help transform empty crèches and homes into educational and stimulating environments for children. Emirates Airline Foundation's support for the two year training and mentorship programme has so far helped provide nearly 5000 young children with a strong foundation, preparing them for formal schooling. The organisation has helped trained 2931 adults who can now provide opportunities for playful learning for the 49800 children in their care.

Julie Hay, Founder and Director of Singakwenza, highlights the importance of early childhood development, especially for children under the age of five. When you look at the graph of the Sensitive Periods in Early Brain Development (below), it becomes glaringly apparent that children can miss the boat even before they have started school. Children in disadvantaged areas therefore need desperate intervention to make sure they do not stay disadvantaged. The beauty of this project is that the teachers, caregivers and parents can be helped to make sure their children are learning skills at their optimal learning age.

Sensitive Periods in Early Brain Development - graph
Sensitive Periods in Early Brain Development - Council for Early Childhood Development
 The "Waste 2 Toys" workshop is a workshop that can be requested for a group of people who are involved with young children, and who are concerned about their future learning.

Thursday 21 November 2019

L.O.L. Surprise Sparkle Doll - Review

L.O.L. Surprise Sparkle Series 3 - Girl with Boss Queen
Boss Queen - L.O.L. Surprise Sparkle Series 3
This is the season of festivities, and of a much anticipated birthday in our house. The L.O.L. Surprises are perfect for this time of the year. Not only is the excitement high when unwrapping them, but it can also be hanged as part of the festive decorations. How awesome!

The L.O.L. Surprise Sparkle Series doll comes with unwrapping 7 surprises.  Series 3 dolls are dressed with sparkle glitter finishes from head to toe! Each ball can be used as a character stand or as a ball hanging on the tree or in a room.

Feed or bathe your L.O.L. Surprise Series doll to discover if she cries, spits, tinkles, or changes colour! There are 12 dolls to collect. Retail selling price: R430.00

Tuesday 19 November 2019

It's easy to create a stir with NOLA Mayonnaise

3 types of Nola Mayonnaise, recipes, apron, Nola notebook and bag
NOLA Mayonnaise blog drop
A firm staple in our house is mayonnaise. It can be used in so many dishes, from savoury to sweet. In my pre-vegetarian days I used to make a mean chicken dish with mayonnaise that I could just pop into the oven. I now have a standard potato dish recipe with mayonnaise that gives an extra luxury to traditional baked potatoes.

NOLA Mayonnaise partnered with local foodie Sithembiso Ndashe (Ndash), who has some modern day twists to popular Mzansi recipes.

See below how you can create a stir with NOLA Mayonnaise.

Monday 18 November 2019

Frozen 2 - some insights before we get to see the movie - WIN

Frozen 2 - First look Fjord
Frozen 2 (cc Disney Africa)
 “Yes, she will sing to those who hear.

And in her song, all magic flows.

But can you brave what you most fear?
Can you face what the river knows?”
~ “All is Found,” “Frozen 2”


Walt Disney Animation Studios’ “Frozen 2” opens in cinemas on December 6. It seems the story-line is going to be even more intense that the previous blockbuster. We can't wait! Disney Africa has made available an awesome hamper of Frozen 2 products worth R1350 for one lucky reader to win on this blog.

Friday 15 November 2019

The sketch that helped me understand my child

Photo of computer screen: Wendy Bertagnole webinar about sensory behaviour
Wendy Bertagnole webinar about difficult sensory behaviour

I have to share this here. There are definitely other parents who also struggle with the same. I wish I had know about this much earlier. I have felt in my gut that there is more to the behaviour, and that it is not a lack of discipline or a lack of respect. The reason for the continuing melt-downs! The better we understand our child, the better she will be able to understand herself. The better we will also be able to work on the skills necessary to handle her world.

Wednesday 13 November 2019

Health Wealth for you, Dr Josh Luke - Review through Booktasters

Print screen: Booktasters Twitter: Health-Wealth for you
Print screen: "Booktasters: Health-Wealth for You"
Another gem from Booktasters: Health-Wealth for You: 11 steps to save big & Live Healthy, by Dr. Josh Luke. This is a book that every family needs to take responsibility for their own health, not only in America. Our wealth is our health, and we can implement better steps for our own future health! I will definitely use this book as manual for negotiating our future journey.

Thursday 7 November 2019

Disney Junior - It's a Party

Inside cinema with screen: "Disney Junior Cinema Party"
Disney Junior Cinema Party 
There's new seasons of Disney Junior (on DSTv 309) Fancy Nancy Clancy, Lion Guard, Vampirina and Puppy Dog Pals. I always remember what Christine Service, the country manager for The Walt Disney Company in South Africa, said a few years ago. Disney always remembers the parents when they write and produce the stories. We as parents have to see episodes and movies hundreds of times, but we can still marvel at the witty comebacks and above the head (of the little ones) jokes. We enjoy the episodes as much as our children do!

Some facts about the new Disney Junior episodes...

Friday 1 November 2019

Instax Square SQ20 is the one you want - Review

Instax SQ 20 with Instax Square cartridges and INstax bag
Instax SQ20
The INSTAX SQ20 can now print from video for amazing instant photos.
We love everything about Instax cameras. There is nothing as satisfying as getting a printed photo immediately. We have an Instax Mini 9 camera that we were gifted a while ago, so we have been playing with it for a while. The Instax SQ 20 is everything you would expect from the Instax experience, but so much more. You are able to edit, filter and select frames from videos. It is Instax on steroids. Trust me, you would love this in your gift bag for Christmas or a birthday!

Instax Square SQ20 - beige
Instax SQ20 (Image courtesy Fujifilm)
Disclaimer: We got a black Instax SQ 20 to review for two weeks, with 3 cartridges of film. (The Instax SQ 20 were fetched this week.)

Wednesday 30 October 2019

Nerf Fest 2019 was the Nerf - in photos


Nerf Fest 2019 - girls preparing to shoot with Nerf Blasters
Nerf Fest 2019
Nerf Fest 2019 was awesome! The girls had so much fun. The competitor activities was all the rage, and the stunning GOG Lifestyle Park added to the fun of the day! This is not a Wordless Wednesday, but here are some of the photos. The heat on Saturday was the only reason we left. It was a scorcher of a summer's day!

There was 4 competitor's areas that the children had to complete. They were in a team of 5 each, and the Nerf Monsters (each team had to choose their own name) did a few good rounds. The last round was in the water area, and it was perfect to cool down after the exercises. The smaller children could also play in a number of areas, but I think it would be great if they get their own competitor slots, with parents running alongside them. A fellow blogger told me her son was so disappointed that he could not yet partake! (Just a suggestion?)

Girls preparing to shoot with Nerf blasters
Nerf Fest 2019

Thursday 24 October 2019

The social contract with your child - Think Ahead

Think Ahead is running great workshops with regards social media and your child. Teachers and parents will definitely benefit to attend. I listened to Having the Social Media Talk with your tech-savvy child, by Cayley Jorgensen.

Cayley Jorgensen in front of overhead projection of her credentials
Cayley Jorgensen - Think Ahead

We have been postponing getting a phone for our Miss Fine, although she is nearly eleven. "ALL HER FRIENDS" ("Yes, all my friends, Mom!") have phones already! She still has an iPad2 that she only gets to play on when homework is done, and she got a tablet sent from family overseas only this past weekend. She is also already very versatile on her parent's phones, and knows both our passwords. We have been having talks, and the school has been having talks. The school has forbidden the use of smartphones that can connect to the Internet. It helped to prolong the inevitable. But here we are!

The social contract by Cayley Jorgensen (shared below) is a great way to proceed.

Friday 18 October 2019

Marnie's World pre-release screening - WIN tickets for family


Marnie's World Ster-Kinekor poster
Marnie's World - Ster-Kinekor

Ster-Kinekor is having pre-release screenings of Marnie’s World on 26 October. Check out the trailer, Marnie's World on YouTube.

"Pampered pussycat Marnie who does little more than eat and sleep all day is lured into becoming a secret agent. Marnie teams up with a bunch of runaway animals, including a crazy donkey, a chicken and all their friends and sets off on a dangerous mission to track down a gang of notorious thieves."

Thursday 17 October 2019

Jesse & the Thinkers, by Ken John - Book review

Kindle book, Jesse & The Thinkers
Jesse & the Thinkers (Jesse & Jake Book 1)
I love it when a book aligns with my understanding of the world: Thoughts create your reality is the main message that permeates in Jesse en the Thinkers, by Ken John.

I would love for my daughter to read it. I will wait two years, until she is 12,13 to introduce it to her. It is a fantastical ride into a world of dreams, but with believable characters whom we all can identify with. The Outsider is always the one who saves the world in the end? The positive message of your thoughts that creates your world, and the way you see and experience the world, is totally depended on the self! How I would love for my "half-empty-cup"daughter to know that she can change that! So much!

My GoodReads review follows below.

Wednesday 16 October 2019

NERF FEST 2019 hits Joburg in a week!

Girl with Nerf blaster at Nerf Fest 2018
NERF Fest fun 

NERF FEST - "the ultimate Nerf obsessed fan experience" - hits Johannesburg on 26 and 27 October at GOG Lifestyle Park! We remember last year and how much the kids enjoyed the fun! The excitement is high, especially because we see that the venue is larger, and there are more activities. Nerf fans are again trying out the latest Nerf blasters and going to test their skills against each other. The title of Nerf Fest 2019 champions and some amazing prizes are up for grabs.

Nerf Fest caters for the whole family, and there's a whole day of activities.

Tuesday 15 October 2019

Pekingese, who knew they are so cute?

Pekingese face next to girl's face
Ozo the Pekingese Fluff
My Eldest started with Pekingese. She got a pup when she was still living with us. The dog breaths multiplied and she now has three of them, and we got to know them really well. Especially after we were pet sitting two Pekingese for her pet service...

two pekingese dogs in one dog bed
Pekingese Ozo and Lady

Turns out the two Pekingese we are looking after, are being dumped. We were waiting last night for them to be picked up, but nobody showed. The owner also paid us only for the first month. Luckily my daughter is involved with Pekingese Rescue and we are now fostering them until they can find owners for them. We are very fond of the two Pekingese, Ozo and Lady. They are both lovely dogs with great personalities, and they would make stunning companions. We can't keep them, as we are not planning to have more than one dog. (My husband also says he does not want a dog after our own dog dies. So, there's that!) We also have to be responsible, as we are not in a financial position to have the responsibility of three dogs. Vet bills are not cheap. 

Friday 11 October 2019

Disney Descendants are back with Series 3 - WIN

Disney Descendants 3
Disney Descendants 3
In celebration of Disney Descendants movie premiere on Disney Channel on Friday, 11 October, Disney Africa has made available a cool hamper to win.

Catch them on DSTv Channel 303 at 17:25 today!

Dove Cameron, Sofia Carson, Booboo Stewart and Cameron Boyce return to Auradon
and the Isle Of The Lost in the dynamite new Disney movie, Descendants 3. 

Some cool facts from Descendants 3 that makes us look forward to it!

Tuesday 8 October 2019

L.O.L. Surprise Boys - add the brother! Review


Girl holds a L.O.L. Surprise Boy ball
L.O.L. Surprise Boy
The L.O.L. Surprise range continues to "surprise"! (Sorry! ;-)) They have brothers as well. L.O.L. Surprise Boys is a range of boy dolls which also needs unwrapping. Now the boys can also unwrap their own surprise boy doll! It adds that extra special element to your L.O.L. Surprise Doll collection.
Each Surprise Boy character has a similar fierce style to his sister character, but with his own unique
twist. With eight characters to collect, the surprise unboxing fun continues.

The festive season is around the corner, and this is a great toy for the girls and boys who love collectables.

Friday 4 October 2019

Celebrating OUMA on Grandparents Day

Girl with her grandparents
Ouma en Oupa

It's International Grandparents Day on Sunday. OUMA Rusks is running a cool campaign to coincide with this. Who doesn't know the popular phrase "Dip 'n Ouma", or hearing from expats searching for Ouma Rusks? This is one of our proudly South African products that everybody enjoys with a cuppa.

CELEBRATING ALL THE GOGO’S, GRANS, NANI’S AND NANAS THIS GRANDPARENT’S DAY

OUMA rusks with cup and OUMA boxes in background
OUMA Rusks

Look out for the limited edition OUMA Rusks packs showcasing some of the many names South Africans use to reference their grandmothers. So cool! 

‘’Whether it’s your uGogo, Nana, Gran, Ouma, Nani or any other name you use to refer to your Grandparent, we wanted to continue to acknowledge the powerful impact grandparents have had on our lives, not just on this one day but throughout the year,’’ says Nerina Singh, Assistant Brand Manager, Ouma Rusks.

We are so lucky to still have grandparents on both sides of the family. So blessed that Miss Fine has them, as well as a very involved aunt that enriches her life so much. She loves visiting them, and staying with them when the parents want a break, or the school holidays seems to long to go to aftercare all the time! They are also always cheering from the sidelines. The Eldest also had the best time growing up with the grandparents in her life. Thank you so much!

Tuesday 1 October 2019

A memorable date night, especially with Simmi Areff

Simmi Areff on stage at Theatre on the Square
Simmi Areff
We do not get that much opportunity for a date night, but last week was one for the books. Simmi Areff gave the proceeds of his comedy nights at Auto & General Theatre on the Square to Femme Projects. We were invited to media night on Thursday, and we are extremely happy we went.


Simmi Areff is funny, and he "works" the audience. Looking at the social media engagements I know not one of his nights or jokes are exactly the same. I bow to that, because how is it possible to stay funny for two hours with an audience that you do not know? Well, he does it really well! Check him out and sign up to his podcasts on his blog. Apparently he is a very big deal on TikTok as well. We laughed for two hours straight!

"Let’s tackle the tale as old as time….love! Simmi Areff is the Agony Uncle for the heartbroken; the love guru of the modern era.  He seemingly has all the answers – but take them with a pinch of salt – because he wouldn’t be sharing his story if his love life was better than yours."
Nelson Mandela statue at Nelson Mandela Square
Nelson Mandela Square

As always, we enjoyed Nelson Mandela Square, and had to make a stop at Hard Rock Café. The Entertainer app still has the two for one burger deal, which is really tasty. I had their vegetarian burger made with cauliflower.

Hard Rock Cafe at Nelson Mandela Square
Nelson Mandela Square

This was an epic date night! (My husband was smiling, just not on this photo, I promise ;-))
Hard Rock Cafe burgers
Hard Rock Cafe

Hard Rock Cafe - Karen with glass of wine
Date night at Hard Rock Cafe

Hard Rock Cafe - Jimi Hendrix booth
Jimi Hendrix booth 
Thanks to MS Publicity for inviting us to media night!
Thank you, Simmi Areff, for the laughs, and for donating the proceeds!

Follow Simmi Areff online:

Twitter: @simmiareff

Facebook: Simmi Areff

Instagram: @simmiareff

Monday 23 September 2019

My weekend starts today, Monday

I am going in for one day of work today. How fast is this end of year going? We all need a bit of a breather before the final stretch.

We got tickets for tomorrow for ComicCon with the added bonus of KidsCon. The whole family is excited! I have been following along on social media, and we can't wait!

KidsCon bag with Toyzone Zoink
KidsCon bag of happiness (gift)

For the rest of the week we will be staying at home. I know Miss Fine will be impressed. That is her best thing to do.

We are missing Miss Fine so much this weekend. She is still at a camp until tomorrow.

The budget is low. The energy is low. But the excitement for a loooong weekend is high!

What are you doing this Heritage Day?
Have you been to ComicCon, and what can't we miss?


Disclaimer: We got complimentary tickets to ComicCon for today or tomorrow, with a bag full of Toyzone goodies. We are not paid to write this. But we are so excited!

Wednesday 18 September 2019

Defy Bake a Difference campaign for Cupcakes of Hope


Defy apron and pet and cupcake for Cupcakes of Hope
Defy #BakeADifference campaign launch

National Cupcake Day 4 Kids with Cancer is upcoming on 28 September. Defy is partnering with Cupcakes of Hope to raise funds for families for kids with cancer. This is such a cool initiative. I definitely won't be remembered for my culinary skills, but for this baking initiative it is real easy to support the campaign.

Karen du Toit with decorated cupcake at Defy launch for Cupcakes of Hope
Decorated cupcake at Defy yesterday (CC Metro FM photo)

USE SOCIAL MEDIA TO RAISE FUNDS FOR CUPCAKES OF HOPE 

via Defy #BakeADifference

Two ways to make it happen:

  • Bake and share your cupcakes on social media with the hashtag #BakeADifference

Cupcake with icing and sweets to decorate
Cupcake ready to be decorated






Defy will be donating R1 for every post shared with #BakeADifference. Thank you!

Cupcakes of Hope is a non-profit company, but they are reaching bigger targets each year to support kids with cancer. They assist between 50 and 70 little cancer patients at a time. Look out on 28 September to support them in donating cupcakes or buying cupcakes at your local mall. Such a small gesture makes such a big difference!

Love this quote: "We can't all do great things, but we can all do little things with great LOVE" - Mother Theresa

Sandy Cipriano from Cupcakes of Hope at Defy launch
Cupcakes of Hope Founder Sandy Cipriano
WARNING: Prepare to be spammed with pictures of cupcakes!


Disclaimer: I was invited to attend the launch of this campaign yesterday. I don't like baking, but I love to support great causes. (Luckily we were only expected to decorate a cupcake *phew!*)
I am not paid to write this, or to share my #BakeADifference posts.

Thursday 12 September 2019

Sleep well and do good with Bed King

Bed King’s Children’s Hospital Trust campaign to raise money for the Red Cross War Memorial Hospital


Sleep never felt so good!


Bed King exterior shop in Roodepoort
Bed King 

We were invited to test out Bed King's Comfort Solutions Lab. Bed King is running a fundraising initiative for the third year. R500 from every Comfort Solutions mattress is donated to the Children's Hospital Trust. All money goes towards upgrading the Red Cross War Memorial Hospital emergency unit. Last year they raised R250K, and they are planning to pass this target this year. 

Bed King Comfort Solutions Lab - reading being done
Bed King Comfort Solutions Lab

Wednesday 11 September 2019

Disney Junior shows and products - GIVEAWAY

Disney Junior logo
Disney Junior
Disney Junior celebrates Spring with some of their most lovable characters. The retail campaign in conjunction with Disney Junior shows is launching on 15 September.  The products range from puzzles and books to toys and figurines available at retailers nationwide. The shows include Fancy Nancy Clancy, Vampirina, Puppy Dog Pals, The Lion Guard and everyone's favorite mouse, Mickey Mouse.

Friday 6 September 2019

Journey Beyond Symphonic Circus - WIN tickets

Journey Beyond Symphonic Circus poster
Journey Beyond Symphonic Circus

A magical production! The Zip Zap Circus is joining forces with the Johannesburg Youth Orchestra Company, and the rousing voices of  Zolani Mahola, Zita Pretorius and Timothy Moloi to bring you Journey Beyond – Symphonic Circus. It will be on stage in Heritage Month, only for 3 days from 20-22 September at Joburg TheatreZip Zap’s founder, Brent van Rensburg, choreographer Adele Blank and conductor, Maestro Eddie Clayton, are excited to share this production.


2 sets of tickets (4 each) has been made available for a give-away. See below on how you can win. The previous time we heard about Zip-Zap Circus was at The Greatest Christmas at Menlyn last year. It was awesome!

Zip Zap gymnast balancing on pole
ZIP ZAP Circus (photographer Joan Ward)

Monday 2 September 2019

Snowflake Obsidian: Memoir of a Cutter - coming-of-age insights

Screen print: Booktasters tweet: Snowflake Obsidian: Memoir of a cutter
Booktasters tweet: Snowflake Obsidian: Memoir of a cutter
I hate it when I can't seem to finish a book. I had to do it with Snowflake Obsidian: Memoir of a cutter. I struggled to read it, but I also can't pick a new book before I have finished with the one I am busy with. Booktasters says it is ok, I can let it go... Phew! (I am 62% into the book)

I thought that this book would give me great insights into the mind of a young adult, and help me understand the workings of a teenage brain. We have a tween in our midst. I love the writing in the book, but it did not seem to get to a point. I still gave the book 4/5 for the writing, and for the fact that I think young people and people struggling with the existential questions will get great insights from reading this.

Tuesday 27 August 2019

Read because... 10 ways we can do our share

Karen Bitmoji standing with books in hand
#ReadBecause
National Book Week is celebrating it's tenth year next week from 2 - 8 September. It's a reminder to all of us to pay attention to one of the most liberating activities we can do for ourselves, and especially our kids. If we can't read, we can't learn, and if we can't learn, it has major implications for the rest of our lives. Reading is an issue in our country. Parents don't read to their kids, and there is not enough access to books and resources.

“The lack of reading interest in our country needs our collective awakening, each one of us must take responsibility to encourage people to read,” says Elitha van der Sandt, CEO, SABDC. “National Book Week provides that platform, a week-long celebration where all South Africans can play their part to promote reading and making books available to those around them. We encourage all corporates, leaders across political lines, parents, teachers,community members, brothers and sisters to celebrate stories, reading and books. It is a human right, and an inexpensive way to transform and move our country forward.”
print screen of Cyril Ramaphosa reading quote - SONA2019
Cyril Ramaphosa reading quote

What can we do to start reading more?

Friday 23 August 2019

Me-No-Pause

Karen du Toit
Karen with a SnapChat filter 

What a strange word: Menopause. ME NO PAUSE. I just love it!

There is still the slightly negative connotation to it! And that it should be kept under wraps. To be suffered in silence! WHY? It signals a next stage in your life. It is to be celebrated, just as a first period transports you into being a woman.

Thursday 22 August 2019

Writing stories for children - Hollard makes it easy with Instastory Books

Small children's book in hand: Fumiko
Hollard InstaStory Book

Always wanted to write a children's story book? There's a really easy way using social media on Instagram. Hollard in partnership with NGO Kago Ya Bana have come up with an ingenious programme available to all to produce story books for young children. You can write and produce your own story book now!

Using Social Media to create Social Good
We have a country where most of our children do not have access to books, and they can't read for meaning in any language. The opportunity to learn is severely compromised. The initiative by Hollard is creating and collecting a new library of original InstaStoryBooks for kids. They are calling on people to create stories in the form of 9 Instagram Story frames, that they convert into foldable books.

Tuesday 20 August 2019

Letibalm - still a firm favourite in our house

Letibalm products on flat-lay board with tissues
Letibalm Nose and Lip repair (Tegan Smith Photography)
Letibalm is the only balm that cares for the lips, nose and skin in-between. It's a firm favourite in our house. This past winter (yes, the winter is already forgotten here) we battled some colds and flu, and now it is hay fever season again. We can not survive runny noses without Letibalm.

I have found a new use for Letibalm as well. I wish I had known about it sooner, because I could have saved myself a lot of inflamed outbreaks on my face. Letibalm also has a new addition as well, a Letibalm Junior Nose and Lips repair fluid with a soothing strawberry flavour.


We keep our Letibalm repair creams in different places to always have it on hand.

Wednesday 14 August 2019

Little Live Wrapples - the cutest pets from Prima Toys

Little Live Wrapple in packaging
Wrapples

The cutest furry best friend, a Little Live Wrapples, made it's way to us via a blog drop from Prima Toys. We love them, as they are interactive and great for fun. We think it is a magical toy for special people on their birthdays or the upcoming festive season. Yes, it's that time of the year again! Yay!

We are listing a few reasons why we think Wrapples are such a great toy.

Wednesday 7 August 2019

The Warrior Project addresses Domestic Violence

The Warrior project - banner screen print
The Warrior Project logo
WOMEN-LED COLLABORATION TO TACKLE DOMESTIC VIOLENCE

Domestic violence is a topic that is very near to my heart. The Warrior Project is live and free and available to those in need in South Africa.

The Warrior Project


  • Providing victims with access to information and resources
  • Established by Yvonne Wakefield (also founder of Caveat Legal), in collaboration with LawForAll and SweepSouth


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