Give the gift of a farm animal… even if they live in a flat.

If you’re reading this, chances are you live in a world where you want for lots but really need for very little. However there are those around the world who would live a much better life if they had just a little more.

This idea is the Oxfam Unwrapped initiative.

So the idea is you purchase a card from $10 through to $150 and you’ll be helping those in disadvantaged areas to have livestock or clean water… or even something as simple as seeds to have crops.

For more information head to https://unwrapped.oxfam.org.au/

If it’s a gift for a child maybe you’d like to add in a small animal figurine to help explain what you’re doing for others in their name. It is never too early to teach kids the value of looking after the less fortunate.

 Here’s a clip to explain more.

Three Square Feet Inspirational Jewellery with a message!

How many times have you been having a completely crummy day and someone does something to totally blow your mind in the most beautiful way?

Imagine if we all decided to make the world better in some small (or large) way for EVERY person who came within 3 square feet of us.

DISCOVER THREE SQUARE FEET.

Three Square Feet makes mindful awareness bigger than just one person. We all have the ability to bring improved unity to the world by promoting small, important acts of kindness to others, with no expectation of reward.

Wearing your Three Square Feet is a daily reminder to be kind and generous. Each purchase allows us to provide funding to charities that are making the world a better place, Three Square Feet at a time!

So through the sales of Jewellery (beautiful) Monoliths (sophisticated) Tshirts or Iphone cases you can remind yourself and others to strive to leave the world in better condition than you left it, three square feet at a time.

Here’s a little verbal introduction thanks to katersoneseven

More Links:

http://threesquarefeet.org/

http://blog.threesquarefeet.org/

https://www.facebook.com/3sqft

Joelene Pynnonen reviews the movie she’s been waiting for all year!

So I finally managed to see the one film that I’ve been waiting for all year, Catching Fire. As usual I went in with reservations in case the second movie didn’t live up to the first. For once, these reservations were wholly unfounded. Catching Fire outdoes Hunger Games on almost every level.

The film picks up a few months after Hunger Games ended. Katniss (Jennifer Lawrence) and Peeta (Josh Hutcherson) are about to start the Victory Tour of Panem. If journeying to each of the other districts and facing the families of all the tributes who died in the 74th Hunger Games wasn’t enough pressure, President Snow pays Katniss a visit before she leaves. Since Katniss defied the Capitol there has been unrest in the districts. If Katniss can’t convince the people that she is desperately in love with Peeta by the time the tour ends, her life and those of her family are forfeit.

Despite her best efforts, Katniss and Peeta’s act of defiance eclipses their supposed love in the eyes of the districts. With rebellions breaking out in the districts and the Capitol under threat, Snow makes the decision to destroy Katniss before she becomes even more of a symbol to the rebels. And what better way to do it than with the 75th Hunger Games? Once again Peeta and Katniss are thrown into the Hunger Games arena, this time going up against previous winning tributes.

While Hunger Games gave us a great introduction to Katniss, her supporters and her enemies; Catching Fire opens up the entire world. The other tributes are more fully fleshed out and are bigger players in the story. It also brings the politics of Panem to the forefront, giving audiences more of an understanding of why the Games are essential to the Capitol. All of this gives us some incredible new characters, Johanna Mason being my undisputed favourite.

More depth is added to the personal as well as the political though. Peeta’s character is explored more fully, and we begin to see what there could be to love in him. In the first instalment he’s lovely and loyal. Those traits are admirable, but they’re not enough. Katniss grows as well. While she previously didn’t care for anyone outside of her family and Gale, she is beginning to open up to others. For such a bleak premise, the interactions of such amazing characters are desperately needed to keep the film from becoming too desolate. Having characters that grow and change more slowly is refreshing for this kind of a series as well.

The film follows the book as faithfully as the first did. There are minor changes but the atmosphere and intent remains much the same. Because the film is so dynamic, however, it outshines the novel for me. The casting decisions made for Catching Fire are outstanding. As in the Hunger Games many of the emotions are imparted visually rather than being scripted. The same emotional impact could not have been delivered by a lesser cast.

There is far too much in this film to discuss in a review but, suffice it to say, it is a film that should be seen on the big screen (and more than once). Not the sort of story that should be bound to a certain age group or gender; it’s something I’d recommend to anyone.

Under the Sea Cake Pops (or, How To Survive a Kid’s Party at Home – Pt 2)

You might recall my recent post with the Big Blue Fish Cake that I made for my Mr 6’s birthday party. Well, it seems these days that the main birthday cake isn’t enough. You still need cupcakes (well, of course. D’uh, Mum!) and the latest trend in cakes – cake pops.

I readied myself with a $12 cake-pop mould-tin from K-mart, though admittedly, I wasn’t too sure about it. Looked to me like the thing would leak and make a helluva mess, if it worked at all.

But thankfully, I was saved by the Angel of Cake Advice, the owner of my local cake-supply shop.

“Don’t bake them,” she said. “Cheat! Mashed Tim-Tams and cream cheese. That’s all there is to it!”

And she was right. Gloriously, deliciously right. Here’s how:

What You Need:

• 1 packet of Tim-Tam biscuits. For those of you outside Australia who might have difficulty getting your hands on our national treat, apparently Oreos work too.
• 80g of cream cheese. I used the Philadelphia brand.
• Chocolate for dipping.
• Chocolate food colouring.
• Mouldable chocolate for decorations.
• Ice cream sticks or similar. I used plastic ones from my Cake Shop.

How it’s Done:

I made a triple batch with three packets of Tim-Tams and 240g of cream cheese. All you need to do is throw the biscuits into a food processor, give them a bit of a buzz, then add the cream cheese and process until combined. That’s it. Truly.

Next, roll teaspoon sized scoops of the Tim Tam mix in your hands to make ball-shapes. I kept some as balls, flattened others out into disk shapes (for the crabs) and then for the turtles, just flattened the bottoms. Place on a tray or plate with baking paper. Refridgerate.

While your balls are chilling, melt a small cupful of chocolate. I use the microwave. Remove the chilled balls, dip the end of a stick into the chocolate, and then into the ball shape. I found it easiest to place upright in a glass, then back in the fridge to set.

While your shapes on sticks are chilling again, it’s time to make up the accessories that will turn your balls into sea creatures. I used mouldable chocolate, which is kind of like plasticine – but waaay yummier – for mine. This stuff comes already coloured, so it makes your life much easier. Fins and tails for the fish, nippers for the crabs, heads, feet and a tail for the turtles. Oh, and eyeballs for all of them. Don’t forget the eyeballs!

Working with one type of creature at a time, melt more chocolate. This time, use a bowl and don’t skimp on the amount. You need to be able to dip your shapes so that they’re entirely covered. For the turtles I used dark chocolate, the crabs and fish I used coloured white chocolate (make sure you use chocolate-friendly colouring). It’s easiest to make one creature at a time – dip it in the chocolate, wait for the drips to stop, then add its accessories. After setting, I added smiley faces and pupils in the eyes with an edible marker pen.

And the cupcakes? Yeah, they were a cheat too. Packet mix (both chocolate and vanilla), commercial frosting – vanilla – piped on top, then with blue spray colour (just like spray paint in a can) gave them a quick whiz over, and added store-purchased candy sea creatures. Too easy! And yes, the birthday boy was thrilled.

 Visit Mandy’s website for more recipes.

Marianne speaks to Adrianne Fitzpatrick, publisher of Books To Treasure.

What is the focus of Books To Treasure publishing? What kind of books are you looking for?

Books to Treasure is an independent children’s publisher, looking for new fiction: picture books and early readers, through to chapter books and novels for independent readers. Both series and stand-alone books are welcome.

What’s your background in books and publishing. How did that lead you to creating your own imprint?

I started my career in publishing as a writer, with my first story appearing in print in 1977; but I discovered, while working on a children’s magazine in the late 1980s, that I had a flair for editing. So in the 1990s I built a up career as a freelance editor and designer and went on to teach various subjects in the Publishing and Editing Diploma at Morningside TAFE, as well as running writing workshops and courses privately and through adult education.

I moved from Australia to the UK in 2003 where I continued to work in the publishing industry variously as project manager, editor, proofreader, book designer, writer … even photographer … for both publishers and independent clients. Over the years I’ve had the privilege of working with some very talented writers, and when one of those authors, Helen Barber, showed me handmade copies of two picture books, The Princess and the Socks and Be Quiet, Bird!, I just knew they had to be published. So I did it!

What’s your best advice for children’s writers?

Read. Recent publications, not just old favourites. Writers need to be familiar with the contemporary market. I see many well written stories that would have been ideal for children of the 50s or 80s or … And write, obviously. A good critique partner or writing group to help you hone and polish your work before submitting it is possibly one of the most important resources a writer can have.

What else do you have coming out soon?

Confirmed titles for next year include another picture book from Helen Barber, which we hope will be out in time for Christmas, an early reader from multi-published author A H Benjamin, and a YA fantasy novel from Philip S Davies. There are several other projects in the pipeline as well.