To kick off the holiday shopping season Mabel’s Labels is having a big sale on some great gift-giving items. The sale is for one day only, so get shopping!

• Holiday Gift Tags 30% off
• Holiday Return Address Labels 30% off
• Write-On! Stationery Kits 40% off Buzz and Cowpoke Kits only

Shop now! Because the sale ends at Midnight PST November 30, 2009.

The Mabel’s Labels team is rallying around the amazing Anissa Mayhew of Free Anissa, Hope 4 Peyton and Aiming Low who suffered a stroke over a week ago.

In honor of Anissa’s ability to bring laughter to anyone and everyone around her for each set of LOL Sticky Labels sold between November 23rd through December 10th, Mabel’s Labels will donate a portion of the proceeds to Anissa Mayhew’s family.

Within the last month, three of my six kids have had birthdays. It’s a very lean month in our household – topping up RESPs along with throwing a few birthday parties can take its toll on anyone’s budget.

In addition to not liking birthdays’ financial implications, I think birthday parties are a royal pain. I know many party mamas out there who relish in planning extravagant events, particularly their children’s parties. Indeed, I have one friend who says one of the things she loves most about being a mother is throwing birthday parties. That mama is not me. Birthday parties make the bottom of my list of things I love about being a mama. Yes, I like my kids to have fun and enjoy their special day, but all the hoopla around it doesn’t float my boat.

So when I throw a party, it’s all about keeping it simple. I thought it would be fun to compare some of my tips and strategies with those of my friend, Janine who is mama party planner extraordinaire. In September, she is well in planning mode for a January birthday. All the neighbourhood kids have fingers crossed that their name makes the list. In short, Janine generally makes me look like a complete slacker.

The rules according to me, the “Keep It Simple Mom”:

- Have a no birthday present policy.
- Have a no loot bag policy.
- Plan your parties at a time that will ensure you do not have to prepare a meal for little guests.
- Don’t over-engineer the thing – kids are old pros at figuring out how to have fun.
- Sure have a theme, but don’t bother obsessing. You don’t want to have to drive around to 10 different stores just to get the napkins that match the plates.
- Don’t have it in your house. Way too much cleaning is involved then – you’ll end up cleaning before AND after the party.

The rules according to Janine, “Keener Perfectionist Mom”:

- EVERYTHING needs to be matchy matchy – pick a theme and colour scheme and stick with it: invitations, decorations, balloons, utensils, EVERYTHING!
- Make it an event – seal invitations with a stamp monogram and mail them because kids love getting mail.
- Don’t scrimp on the cake – if nothing else is done right, be sure that you have a fabulous cake (which of course corresponds to the party theme!)
- Mind your present etiquette. If opening at party, tape a half circle in front of birthday child, have 2 chairs (one for birthday child, one for gift giver). Read card together and open gift. Take a picture of birthday child with gift and gift giver and send as a “thank you” after the party.

Janine also agrees that the birthday present thing can get a bit much and suggests donations in lieu of gifts, and also checking out www.echoage.com

There you have it – what kind of party planner are you? Apply the rules that most suit you and I’m pretty sure your kid will have a great party that even mama will enjoy.

Do you have laundry strewn over the back of the couch? Not sure if the clothes that are still in the laundry basket are clean or dirty? Can’t seem to catch up, EVER? If any of these apply to you, it sounds like a laundry routine is in order.

Technically, laundry is one of those chores that does not ever end. We are always going to have to do it, but that doesn’t mean it has to be an overwhelming task. Here are a few ways you can simplify your laundry routine.

Attach laundry to another daily routine such as breakfast or dinner. I do one load a day. I start a load every morning before breakfast. Then by the time the kids are done eating and getting ready for school, it is time to put the clothes in the dryer. When I come back from taking my son to school, it is time to fold the clothes. One chore out of the way before 7:30 am! Of course the larger the family, the more loads you may have to do!

Hang up shirts immediately after being dried to prevent wrinkles. Even the smallest of laundry rooms can have an area for hanging using a collapsible wall mounted clothes storage system. This is one of my favorite products and I use one in my own laundry room.

Get individual baskets for the kids and label them with their name. When their basket is full, it is time for the kids to put the clothes away! Teach your children now so you don’t get stuck doing it forever. I put away the clothes if they are under 3 but even at that age they can take the hanging items to their closet. Let go of perfection when they are young just as you would with cleaning, but fine-tune their skills later on.

Do the laundry in the laundry room. No matter the size, set up a system right there to tackle the laundry. It goes by much faster. If you take the clothes elsewhere to fold you are more likely to get distracted and leave them there to tend to something else.

Implementing a few of these tips will get your laundry routine off to a great start.

Do you currently have a laundry routine that works for you?

The contest is now closed. Thanks for all your entries!

Mabel’s Labels has teamed up with our friends at Universal Studios Home Entertainment Canada to bring you a great giveaway!

There are ten chances to win a copy of In The Night Garden: Let’s Make Music DVD and a set of 15 Sticky Labels from Mabel’s Labels. In the Night Garden is best described as a modern a nursery rhyme picture book.

 It is about a magical place that exists between waking and sleeping in a child’s imagination, filled with great music and friendly characters.

Rounding out the prize package is a set of 15 personalized Classic Sticky Labels; use one to identify your In The Night Garden DVD to make sure loans are returned! 

Updated!

Thank you for all the great entries to our In The Night Garden: Let’s Make Music DVD giveaway. Here are the ten winners’ that will receive a copy of the DVD and a set of 15 Sticky Labels. Jennifer S., Wayne, Sarah Oakley, Kerry, Holly, Jonnie H, Emma, Sandy, Cheryl and Karen.

Look out for an e-mail from Samantha@mabel.ca