Mommy Has to Work

Florida Mushroom Festival at Ravine Gardens State Park

January 21, 2019 By Anne

Lion’s Mane Mushroom

Last weekend we took the kids to the Florida Mushroom Festival at Ravine Gardens State Park in Palatka, Florida. The park is absolutely beautiful! We got there just in time for a wild identification walk throughout the park to spot different mushrooms growing in the wild.

There were two of these suspension bridges.

Oyster Mushrooms

Cats on the trail!!

My daughter and I.

It was an absolute beautiful day!

For upcoming events check out Florida Mushroom Festival on Facebook and Ravine Gardens State Park

Anne

I'm a mother of 2 who likes to get involved in too much! Besides writing here I started a non-profit, I'm on the PTO board, very active in my community and volunteer in the school. I enjoy music, reading, cooking, traveling and spending time with my family. We just adopted our 3rd cat and love them all!

Australian Ambitions – A Guide to Getting the True Down Under Experience

January 21, 2019 By Anne

It only takes travelling abroad to understand that most non-Australians? Don’t have much of a clue what the deal is Down Under. But it’s not totally uncommon to meet people from another state who have no idea of the wonder and excitement to be found in your state. If you’re weighing up which country to hop to this holidays, pause those plans and look in your backyard for inspiration. Here’s our guide on what the true Down Under experience should be.

Road trips

Australia is a huge country, which means it takes a while to discover it all on the road. This presents a great opportunity to take out a few weeks driving to all destinations and checking out each unique Australian state. There are many roads and recommended paths you can take, but many start in South Australia by visiting the wineries and enjoying the high life in serviced apartments in Adelaide CBD. From there you can take Nullabor Plain and head to Western Australia, and then on to the rest of this Great Southern Land.

Diving

Diving in Australia needs to be seen to be believed, and Finding Nemo was only a hint of what is waiting out there. Cairns (Queensland) is the logical place to dive in Australia, but you may be surprised to learn that other pockets in Australia also have great clarity and unique sea life beneath the water. Byron Bay (New South Wales) is another great place to explore on the diving front. If you wanted to make a trip of it, you can hire a charter boat and visit a few hot spots in a weekend or week. If you are unqualified, you may need to have a dive master on board to make sure the dive is safe and above board.

Beach hopping

So many people think all Australians spend their weekends surfing, like something out of Summer Bay. For many this is true, and it can be for you if you spend a couple of weeks beach hopping along the coastal line. Each state in Australia will claim they have the most pristine beaches, and the truth? They are all unique and perfect in their own way. Perth (Western Australia) is quite renowned for their beaches, and Melbourne and Sydney have beaches that are built into the city hotspots (Bondi and St Kilda).

Landmarks

It wouldn’t be a true Down Under experience without a visit to those quintessential Aussies landmarks. If you think they are too touristy for you, remember that they are famous for a reason, and quite breathtaking when you are standing in front of them. To name just a few, the obvious callouts have to be:

Adelaide: Adelaide Central Market, Glenelg and Adelaide Botanic Gardens

Sydney: Opera House, Sydney Harbour Bridge and Bondi Beach

Melbourne: Queen Victoria Markets, the Laneways, Federation Square and the MCG

Brisbane: South Bank and GOMA (Gallery of Modern Art)

National and animal parks

The wildlife and natural beauty of Australia makes up the full picture of Down Under. Whether you live in Australia or not, chances are you have not visited and seen all the famous Aussie animals. We’re not just talking about koalas and kangaroos either. There is also Quokkas (Western Australia) and Tasmanian Devils (Tasmania) to be seen. If an active holiday sounds right up your alley, you’ll find a stunning collection of National Parks like Kakadu, Uluru and Litchfield (Northern Territory).

There is so much to be discovered in the Great Southern Land, and can be accessed and enjoyed all year around. Adelaide is a great destination to kick off your adventures, before setting off to see it all.

Anne

Hot Jobs – 5 Options for Building a Fruitful Career

January 21, 2019 By Anne

Photo by Gerd Altmann on Pixabay

When you invest the best hours of your week in your career, you expect that investment to both show dividends now and have strong future potential. That is not always the case. Some professions and industries are on the decline. If you are considering a shift to a job that is in hot demand and promises a great future, there is significant opportunity in the five options below:

Commercial Real Estate Agent

If you see yourself as an entrepreneur and place a high value on a flexible schedule and unlimited income potential, becoming a commercial real estate agent could be your calling. Your job would be to help clients to lease, sell or buy commercial properties that will be used for business purposes. Commercial real estate is a highly lucrative sales field that requires a competitive and persevering spirit because the majority of earnings are commission based.

Educational Requirements: State license, obtained through 30-90 hours of coursework or a 4-year degree in Real Estate

Registered Nurse

If you love to help people with medical, health or emotional issues, there is a great future career opportunity as a Registered Nurse. It is expected that employment in this field will increase by more than 700,000 jobs in this decade. If you have a little wanderlust, travel nurses are in huge demand and command higher salaries.

Educational Requirements: 2-3 year Associates Degree from an accredited school, Nursing License, travel nurses may require additional licenses

Software Developer

Can’t get enough of technology? If you are interested in creating computer programs, apps, networks or systems, this could be the job for you. According to numerous studies and reports, there will be 254,000 more software development jobs by 2026. Every day the world becomes increasingly more dependent on smartphones, computers, tablets and the apps they offer so the need for Software Developers will continue to grow.

Educational Requirements: 4-year degree in computer science or a related field.

Data Scientist

If you geek out on data, this could be your future career. A Data Scientist creates models and interprets data that drives significant corporate decisions in every industry. It has been listed as the Best Job in America three years in a row, due to factors such as high job satisfaction, job availability, and salary.

Educational Requirements: Undergraduate degree minimum, Master’s degree with an additional certification common, PhD common

Construction

According to Time.com, 10 out of the top 25 hottest jobs in 2018 were in Construction, meaning that there is an excellent potential for a fruitful career in this industry. Some of the top-ranked posts in 2018 were Construction Estimator, Commercial Project Manager, and Project Superintendent. If none of those titles interests you, there is a huge need for skilled workers in the various trades that perform the different stages of construction. This profession has a great future—demand for property development will only increase alongside population and economic growth. One critical note, career success in this industry often requires travel.

Educational Requirements: GED, Apprenticeship Program (for trade work or work managing trades), Degree in Construction Management

As you can see, there is an excellent career opportunity for a variety of different interests. If you enjoy sales and entrepreneurship, there is Commercial Real Estate. If you desire to help people, the healthcare field is rich with opportunity for Registered Nurses. If you are technologically inclined, software development is poised to explode. And while every industry needs the Data Scientist skillset, the Construction industry promises jobs for every level of worker.

Anne

Take Some Much Needed Time For Yourself

January 17, 2019 By Anne

Moms are busy. Our daily responsibilities are many, from getting the kids up in the mornings and ready for school, extracurricular activities, homework, cooking, and chauffeur; a mom’s job is never done. During the holidays, this stress is compounded even more by baking cookies with the kids, shopping for presents, decorating the inside and outside of the house and hosting gatherings at home. It is a joyous time of year, but that joy comes with a lot of stress. Many moms are also caring for elderly parents or in-laws. They have a lot of people in their lives that depend on them.

It is important that moms take time out to care for themselves and get that much-needed rest and relaxation. One way to do this, without leaving the house, is to get a great chair. A chair that you could take some time in every day to sit and relax. The chair should serve multiple purposes. If you have a chair that can recline and you could put your feet up, this is a good start. Some chairs can even lay flat for a really relaxing sleep. Many chairs are available and it can be hard to figure out which one is best to purchase.

A good chair is an investment, and should be nice looking, but also practical. It can be a secret weapon in your house, even a few minutes of sitting in the chair can help you feel refreshed in a short time. For those who may have some trouble sleeping, it is a great place to take a nap. Get the right chair the first time, one that has multiple positions with heat and one that lifts. This is a chair that can be in your home and you can use for many years to come. Discover more at www.perfectsleepchair.com. This chair is one that I found that has everything anyone could want. It has very good reviews and it is made in the United States, which is something that we can appreciate.

Taking time out for yourself can be hard, but it is necessary. You have to make sure you are okay so you have enough to give to everyone else in your life. You have to juggle responsibilities and balance priorities. A quality recliner is an easy way to ensure that you are comfortable at the end of a long day. You want to make sure that the chair you buy is sturdy and durable. I love recliners that can easily be wiped down and do not require a lot of extra care. Also, a recliner that can be enjoyed not just by me, but other people in the household.

For moms like us who are self-employed and homeschooling, we really deserve a break sometimes. With all the running, it can be difficult to take the time we need. Moms can benefit from taking some time to relax. Your kids will appreciate it because you will be calmer and more pleasant.

I love the idea of sitting down with a good book and just unwinding. In today’s times, we have to keep in mind that everything we consume, not just food, but everything we “take in,” whether its music, knowledge or conversation, should be something that is of some benefit. Taking time for yourself as a mom is “filling your cup” and you can give much more when your cup is full. So set some time apart for yourself. It is important. One thing I like to do is wake up early before anyone else in the house is awake. This helps me to have some time to plan the rest of my day in the soft silence of the morning. My thoughts flow freely, uninterrupted by the rest of the day that is to come. Taking some time in the afternoon to recharge, helps me to get through the rest of the day.

For all the real moms out there who need a break, maybe a new chair could be a gift to yourself or a loved one for the holidays. C’mon moms, you deserve it!

Anne

Laser Focussed – A Guide to Laser Cut Fashion

January 17, 2019 By Anne

The runway was ready for the new shoot and display. Soon the room would be packed with designers, photographers, press and of course – models, all highlighting the newest trends and looks for the current season in fashion at Melbourne Fashion Week.

There were jungle prints and jackets with clean, sleek lines. Yet, the fine cut scrutiny was not upon the models, but the designers themselves.

To catch a trend before your rival, you really have to be laser focussed. It really is a jungle out there.’

Do you ever think about the process that goes into making the clothes that you wear on your back each day? If we do, the general image would be of a sewing machine, am I right?

I know the picture – my own grandmother is a seamstress/machinist by trade. I can easily picture her sewing room with the said machine on the table and hundreds of fabrics, not to mention the thought of millions of pins on the floor – therefore we learned to tread carefully!

However, there are of course many other ways to make the most desired fashions. Quality laser cutting in Melbourne is one of the many ways to do this.

Laser Cutting:

The use of lasers in fashion can often help bring forth a clear and clean line along the garment. This can be in order to get the perfect cut. It can also help to create a tailored fit for the wearer.

This can also be an innovative technique and, when you’re in the competitive world of fashion and couture, a unique and edgy design could be the difference between you being on trend or being behind the season.

According to the blog post: Laser Cut Fashion – Vision through Versatility, “This method was once reserved for the high-class haute couture of the fashion elite…Today any stylish boutique is likely to have a cornucopia of laser cut fashion options…”

Engraving and Fine Point Details:

It is also possible to use the process for engraving and fine cut art. Lasers were used industrially and practically on a number of materials including wood, metal, plastics and eventually, fabrics.

Often when it comes to intricate artwork in fabrics, this usually references embroidery.

For those readers who are not familiar with it, embroidery is traditionally done through cloth with threads.

However, using lasers and other materials, such as diamantes, fine details can be applied to cloth and other fabrics.

Application to a variety of fabrics:

The benefit of the laser in fashion is that it isn’t restricted to hardwearing materials such as cloth. Its use in textiles can be quite various.

A laser system can be used to cut a variety of fibres, both natural and synthetic. While they have the ability with natural fibres, according to Trotec Laser, “Synthetic fabrics usually respond well to laser processing.”

Accuracy and Ease:

As my intro suggests, many of us may think of the sewing machine and threads when thinking of the process of creating an article of clothing.

However, by using a laser machine, the accuracy of the laser allows hardly any part of the garment to be touched, which eliminates the potential of warping brought on by movement, which is possible when done by hand.

According to Epilog Laser “The laser attaches to your computer just like a printer.” Depending on the machine, all you have to do is select the correct software and it will do the rest.

Conclusion:

Now, whether you’re into haute couture or you just like a well-tailored jacket and jeans, there is my guide to how laser cutting can create a designer look.