2013 - you're going to be a good one!

Wow! How quickly did that set of school holidays go?? I can’t believe that the 2013 school year has begun, and that I have a Year 2 & a Year 1 now!
They were excited to head off to meet their teachers at their ‘new’ school yesterday, kitted out in their new Kadina Memorial School uniforms, which looked very smart! (Our local primary school – Kadina Primary & the High School next door have amalgamated to become ‘Kadina Memorial School’)

Brett also started a new job yesterday after being on holidays for most of the school break so the house was very quiet with just Alec & I here!! 

I haven’t done much on the Pink Apple front over the holidays but I think my boys have loved me having a break - gee we have had a lovely time! { Most days anyway ;) }

I have done LOADS of cooking – I love cooking – it is a passion that has been passed down to me from my Mum & Nannas who all loved to cook and are/were fantastic cooks! 

I do have to hide things sometimes though as the boys eat them all if I don’t and then there is nothing to pack for lunches. 

We had a few days at West Beach Caravan Park (oops – it’s now Adelaide Shores) a tradition in our family since before I was born!
We have had the same site for as long as I can remember and head down after my sister, her husband and their 2 children have 2 weeks down there. 

The Van - still in pretty much perfect condition! Love it xx

Wow there have been some changes there over the years, there are SO MANY people there when we are there now – which does take a bit of getting used to when you’re used to being on a farm!
The boys had a fabulous time though, swimming in the pools, going to the beach and jumping on the jumping pillow. 

Tom & Max in pool at West Beach

I was SO excited to buy a bike while we were down there.  I haven’t owned my own bike since I was about 11 (I haven’t changed much – back then it was pink with a basket – I decided to go for white this time as I live in a house full of boys!)
To say I love it is an understatement.  We have been riding everyday & the little man loves (well he likes it, I’m sure he’ll love it soon ) his little seat! The guys at Glenelg Cycles were AWESOME! They helped us out so much! 

My new wheels 'Clementine'

Now school has gone back I have a few projects coming in 2013 which I am very excited about!
I am in the process of custom designing /making a range of jewellery for one of my favourite local businesses.  I am having so much fun and am thrilled with how they are turning out – I can’t wait to share them with you! 

I also have an exciting event planned for this year which I am super excited about - working with another of my favourite local businesses!

I can feel that 2013 is going to be a great year and I can’t wait to share it all with you!

Love

Kathryn xx

 

Loveridge family Christmas x

I cannot believe that Christmas is over again for another year! What a lovely time we had - 2 days of Christmas festivities with both sides of our family - precious times!
Christmas is without a doubt one of my favourite times of the year. I love our family traditions, I love sharing the joy of giving with my boys and I love catching up with old friends who don't come home to Kadina very often.
Brett and I hosted the Loveridge Christmas(13 people) for the first time and cooked a traditional roast meal - we had roast turkey, roast pork & roast beef as well as 2 homemade stuffings accompanied by vegie dishes - roast potato & pumpkin, peas & corn, beans & carrots, cauliflower/broccoli and my favourite tomato/zucchini/onion! For dessert we had traditional Christmas pudding served with custard & mock brandy sauce (someone forgot to buy the brandy - oops!!), Christmas cassata or homemade fruit mince tarts - yum!

 We were thrilled with how it turned out!

Table set ready for lunch

Homemade Fruit Mince Pies

 

Gifts for Brett's rellies - homemade biscuts

Boxing Day was spent at the Beach with my family, my Mum & Dad & The Barker Family (my sister Judith, her husband Mike & their children Charlotte & Henry) It was so lovely to spend a nice day at the beach and Mum did a big roast meal again - it was delicious & we were absolutely full to the brim!

We went back to Mum & Dads again, the Barkers and some other family friends, for New Years Eve which was lovely.  I love how relaxed New Years Eve at the beach is.  A BBQ tea followed by fireworks - I couldn't believe it, we actually made it to the midnight fireworks this year!! The Wallaroo Progress Association does an amazing job with the fireworks and I think this years were the best yet!

I am really excited about where Pink Apple is heading in 2013, I have so many new ideas and plans for this year.  I can't wait to share them with you!!

I hope you are staying cool in this warm weather! 

Kathryn xx

2012 - Where have you gone?

Wow, can you believe how quickly 2012 has gone? I certainly can't.  This time last year I was suffering from 'all day sickness' while trying to get organised for Christmas - this year we have a gorgeous, almost 6 month old baby!! Time goes way too fast and he is growing so quickly.

 

He really is a lovely baby & a joy to have in the house! He has recently started rolling over & now gets himself up onto his knees like he wants to crawl :( So sad I want him to stay a baby just a little longer! 

Tom and Max have grown up so much lately too & I am finding it hard to believe that at the end of next month I will have a Year 2 & a Year 1 in the house.  

Alec has been such a good baby that it's allowed me to keep up with Pink Apple & I have so many things to share with you - lots of new stock as well as a lot of old favourites coming back!

Top Row - Button clips & elastics, small yoyos & bird clips 
Bottom - Large yoyo brooch/clip, boutique bow & crochet flower

 Gifts:  Best Seller at Christmas time - jar of beads (not suitable for under 3) gorgeous handmade bunnies custom made for Pink Apple by a lovely lady in my local area, Pink Apple best seller box of ribbon

 One of my favourite products to make - the Just Because birds. For that special person who you want to give a little gift 'just because' Shop now:  www.pinkapple.biz

I am absolutely loving the gorgeous Summer colours that are around at the moment and have something to suit every outfit! A plain white t can take on many different looks just by changing your necklace.  My Summer staples are denim shorts (fave at the moment from Target - they're a dark, light weight denim with a navy bow at the front and cuff.  love them. ) and a white top.  I change my sandals & necklace & I have a new outfit!

Pink Apple is going eco-friendly!!

There are many changes coming to Pink Apple, some you have seen already & some are taking shape behind the scenes to be released soon!
I am very excited about the New products coming to Pink Apple and the direction that Pink Apple is heading. 
I have done a lot of soul searching in the past couple of years and 2012 has been a year of growth {not just business wise either - I seem to have 'grown' a little too in the recent months ;) }.
2010 was a crazy year which I promised to never repeat, not only to myself but to my family.  I had markets on every second weekend, I was on my sons kindy fundraising committee, I captained a team in the local Relay for Life & I kept on adding to my growing stockist list.  It seemed like I never had a spare minute to myself let alone time to see my friends! I always found myself saying.
I swore 2011 would be different then I decided to take on the role of Weight Watchers leader for an exisiting meeting + open a new meeting.  All the while trying to get organsied for the Pasky Field Days, by far the busiest event I attend! Things calmed down toward the end of the year when we found out that we were expecting our 3rd baby :) 
I have learnt a lot since starting my business as K - Lou Jewels IN 1997. Fast forward 15 years there have been many product changes & 2 changes of business name!! 

THEN -  Some of my earlier products!

NOW - I've learnt so many new techniques over the years :)

There will be many more eco-friendly products coming to Pink Apple for Spring/Summer 2012/2013 - in our house we try to stick to the "Reduce, Reuse, Recycle" so it seemed like a natural progression to take this over in to Pink Apple! 

Eco - Friendly Shopping Basket - so many uses, $29.95 + postage 

These are just 2 of the new eco-friendly products coming to Pink Apple, I have a gorgeous collection of organic & recycled materials here just waing to be made into hair accessories & jewellery! 

Kathryn xx

Wow! So much has happened in the Loveridge household since my last blog post.  
We've moved house, (moving while 7 months pregnant, not ideal!!), celebrated my Mum's 70th Birthday and welcomed out 3rd baby boy into our family. 

 The family at Mums party - Brett, me (pregnant with Alec), Annabel, Harry, Verity, David, Judith, Charlotte, Mike
Front - Max, Dad, Mum, Henry

We are so lucky to have moved into the family home on Brett's farm (how lucky are his Mum & Dad though - they've moved to the beach!!) and we all love it here.  We have emus, sheep, cows and bees.  The ducks are still on the to do list, I plan to buy 5 white indian runners and I will name them Hermione, Clementine, Gertrude, Harriet and Philomena.   They aren't names we had picked out if our boys had of been girls, they are just names I think would be suited to my 5 ducks :)
I've just planted our vegie patch - love it - and they are starting to look fabulous - I can't wait to see what our vegetable Harvest is like come Summer!  

 Now onto our little man.  Well he is gorgeous, amazing, beautiful, I could go on all day!! I worried when I was pregnant that I wouldn't remember what to do with a baby but he's just slipped into the fanily like it was meant to be! We all love him & the poor little man hardly gets a moments peace.  Everyone is obsessed with him & everone fights over him, from Tom & Max to my sister Judith & niece Charlotte even my Mum & Dad, from the minute Alec enters the room they all want him!! 
Here he is in a gorgeous pic Anna Nelson took for me a month or 2 ago x

I hope you are all well and enjoying the beautiful weather Mother Nature is throwing our way! 

Kathryn xx