Season's Greetings!

We can hardly believe it is that time of year already, but it seems it is! Christmas is only a few days away!

Before it arrives, however, we would like to take a moment to thank all our wonderful customers and blog readers for your support throughout 2013. It regard it a privilege that you would choose to bring My Sweets Prints into your home and spend your valuable time stopping by the blog! Thank you!

We will be taking a break over Christmas and New Year. Orders placed between
Thurs 19th December 2013 - Fri 10th January 2014 
will be posted from Monday 13th January 2014 onwards.

From our homes to yours, we wish you and your loved ones the happiest Christmas. May it be a time filled with love, joy and the true Spirit of Christmas and 2014 be a year of good things beyond measure!

Stay safe and we will see you in the new year!

Janette + Amanda xx

[Photo from Chic Déco]

Last Minute Christmas Crafts for Kids

Christmas might be just over a week away, but with many kids already on school holidays and those that aren't yet, will soon be, there's no better time, or reason to set your kids up with some of these fun Christmas crafts to get them in the festive mood and keep them occupied while you are making your own preparations for the big day!

The six crafts we have selected to share with you are simple and inexpensive, but are sure to delight your little ones!

1. Snow Globe Ornaments from iCraft Daily

2. Candy Cane Reindeer from DIY Center

3. Christmas Tree Window Decoration from Family Education

4. Pipe Cleaner Candy Canes from Fountain Avenue Kitchen

5. Popsicle Stick Christmas Trees from Revamp Homegoods

6. Nativity Finger Puppets from Craftaholics Anonymous 

Happy festive crafty fun!

6 Fun Craft & DIY Ideas with Washi Tape

Washi tape, or Japanese masking tape, has become very popular over the last few years for stationery lovers, crafters and DIYers alike, and for good reason! Washi tape is colourful, inexpensive and the translucent and non-permanent stick aspect makes it great for all kind of projects.

In this post we have gathered six fun craft and DIY ideas to fill your home with washi tape fabulousness. 

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1. Create your own wall design with coloured and patterned tape. This is great in kid's rooms where you might want to change things up every now and then, or if you live in a rental house where you don't want to make any permanent changes to the walls, but want to add some personality.

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2. You could use washi tape to display photos and mementos on your fridge, but why not take it a step further... create washi tape magnets! This fun tutorial shows you how to make the magnets look as though the tape has been torn. Such a fun way to be able to reuse your favourite tape over and over.

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3. For a more permanent wall display, why not create a pattern or geometric design on paper and frame it!? It is such a simple and cost effective way to add some interest and personality to your home.

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4. Create a play mat for your kids with washi tape. The colours and patterns of the tape are perfect for kids. Your little one will love their own city scape or countryside to explore and feed their imagination!

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5. Pretty push pins can cost a pretty penny, but it is super easy to make your own! All you need is, you guessed it, washi tape and metal push pins. You could even decorate the plastic kind. Simple, but effective!

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6. It couldn't get more basic than this! Upcycle your tin cans by removing their labels and prettying them up with some washi tape. Perfect for your craft table or the kid's crayons!

So there are six, simple, pretty and fun ideas for crafting and DIYing with washi tape. There are a plethora of them out there on the internet, so you can washi tape to your heart's content! Enjoy!

Unexpected Kid's Bed Linen

The sheets, blankets, pillows and cushions you choose for your child's bedroom doesn't have to be garish, branded and predictable! We love the idea of using pattern and unexpected design elements on kids' beds to help give their room sophistication, a sense of design and a sense of fun!

There are so many great options out there! Why not consider looking away from the children's section in your local department store. Many "adult" designs are available in single and king single sizes, or take a look online for amazing Australian designers who have a unique aesthetic. Here is a handful of great kid's linen that is anything but expected.

1a. Castle // Blue Velvet Quilt Cover

1b. Castle // Watermelon Penny Round Cushion

2. Incy Interiors // Croc Pastel Quilt and Pillowcase set

3. The Print Society // Sunny Days Pom Pom Cushion

4. Kate Lauren // Zachary Hunter Sheet Set

5. Ikea // Odestrad Quilt Cover and Pillowcase set

6. West Elm // Shibori Cushion Cover

Favourite Kid-Related Pins

If you have been around My Sweet Prints for any length of time you will know that we LOVE Pinterest! There are so many amazing things to be found! Inspiration for just about anything!

Today we wanted to share with you some of our favourite recent kid-related pins! We hope you love them! If you do, why not join us on Pinterest?

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Modern Retro Nursery Inspiration

We were inspired by our new Rock On print design to put together a moodboard for a modern nursery that has a retro twist, just like the print. We have used bold blocks of colour, angular, geometric furniture, and a touch of whimsey. The details are below.

1. Rock On print from My Sweet Prints
2. Sophia Cot from Incy Interiors
3. Henrick Sideboard from Matt Blatt
4. Chevy Cushion from Freedom
5. Maddox Cushion in Teal from Freedom
6. Maddox Cushion in Raspberry from Freedom
7. Themis Mobile from Poketo
8. Replica Eames Rar Rocker from Matt Blatt
9. Twitter Bird Lamp from Beacon Lighting
10. Kornum Cow Hide rug from Ikea

10 Spring Activities for Kids

Despite the warmest Winter on record in Sydney this year, it is nice to feel Spring in the air. Spring is a wonderful time of year for getting outside and exploring the natural world as everything around us seems to be waking from the slumber of Winter. It is an amazing opportunity to guide your little ones through exploration of the beauty of nature.

We have scoured the internet in search of some fun, crafty and educational activities to do with your kids this Spring. Get on out and celebrate this wonderful season!

1. Create a nature collage

2. Start a rock collection [image from here]

3. Grow some grass hair

4. Create a worm farm

5. Have a butterfly snack

6. Create a play garden

7. Make a flower sun catcher

8. Paint with dirt

9. Create a tin can wind chime

10. Go on a sound hunt

[all images from linked sources]

New My Sweet Prints Designs

Janette has been a very busy designer of late and has created several new designs that are now available in the store! Let's take a closer look:

The Alphabet Custom Name Print is a fresh addition to our collection of custom designs. It is bright and clean and features your child's name and birth date is a bold pink or blue which contrasts against a mid grey repeating alphabet.

Hello Baby is a sweet, simple custom design to mark the welcoming of your baby. Available in a boy or girl colour way, the design has a handwritten feel to it and features your child's name and birth date in a sweet cursive font.

Get Your Geek on is for all the geeks at heart! It's minimal design features a silhouette of retro glasses and a bright yellow speech bubble with the words "Get Your Geek On" in a handwritten font. This would be a great Father's Day gift or would look great hung alongside any of the other similar designs in a study or studio.

Rock On is a fun design featuring the silhouette of a Charles and Ray Eames Eiffel Shell Rocking Chair with a bright yellow speech bubble with the words "Rock On" inside. The chair is an iconic piece and would appeal wit anyone with a love for mid-century design. It would also be a fun addition to a more contemporary style nursery!

Say Cheese is the third design in this series and features the silhouette of an old camera alongside a bright yellow speech bubble with the words "Say Cheese" inside. Its bold, and modern and would be such a nice gift for a creative friend or would look fab in your study or studio!

This Do What You Love design is a great reminder to have on display for your eyes to see each and every day. The simple black and white design will match any colour scheme and the weathered typography gives the design the look of being block printed.

Shine Bright! We all need a reminder to let ourselves shine and this print is a bold and colourful way to do that! Featuring an abstracted geometric diamond design with the words "Shine Bright" in front, this print is available in 3 great colour combinations. There's an option for any space!

What Would Coco Do? The mantra of many a fashionista! Styled in the classic Chanel black and white with simple, yet classic typography you simply can't go wrong with this gorgeous design. Perfect for a teen's bedroom, your bathroom or dressing room, or anywhere really!

All these new designs are available in the store now! So why not head on over and make your favourite design your own today!?

Aussie Made Geometric Cushions

[The Print Society]

Cushions are perhaps, one of the most versatile elements in the home when it comes to decorating. They are small, but powerful tools that help you bring colour and pattern into a space while reinforcing the overall look and feel you have planned for that room. They are relatively inexpensive too, which means they can easily be changed up for each season, or when the mood strikes.

At My Sweet Prints we love geometric patterns as they are gender neutral and can be used in any room in the house, be it the playroom, the family room, your study or even the kid's bedroom. Their bold, repetitious forms lend themselves to both fun casual decor or a more formal space.

To help inspire you, we have collected some fabulous geometric cushion designs handmade by some pretty creative Australian designers. 

[Bubble and Bean Design]

[Indigo Designs]

[Homely Creatures]

[Belljar Interiors]

[Tango and James]

[Pom by Pomegranate]