Award winning koolaman designs pop-up-shop at Mildura Field Days

Koolaman designs were out and about again over the weekend in Sydney and in Mildura exhibiting for the first time at the Mildura Field Days.  We were thrilled to be invited to the new look Mildura Field Days to be part of the Ladies Day Marquee.  This was the first time a Ladies Day Marquee had been organised.  It was certainly a great atmosphere to share with other inspiring local Mildura business women.  It was also a great opportunity for our team to display our jewellery locally.  We often get comments from locals that they don't get to see our pieces enough so when an opportunity presents to set up a pop-up-shop we always love to be a part of it.

Joh is pictured enjoying her time working at the koolaman designs award winning site at the Mildura Field Days.  The award was for Best Small Site

Belinda, one of the members of the koolaman designs crew, working at the Mildura Field Days

The Mildura Field Days was a well organised event and we had a steady stream of people visit us on Friday and Saturday. It was great to see some returning customers and as always lovely to meet some new faces.  It is always very humbling and satisfying to receive positive feedback from people we meet who have not had the opportunity to share the koolaman designs experience.

Some beautiful images of the award winning site at the Mildura Field Days

Adding to the excitement of exhibiting at the Mildura Field Days was winning an award for Best Small Site.  It was such an honour to be chosen as an award winner given it was our first time at the Field Days.   For our efforts I was treated to a lovely meal with event organisers, received a beautiful hamper of goodies, some chocolate which is never wasted and plaque to commemorate the occasion.

Lisa proudly displaying the winnings for Best Small Site

Thanks to Chairman of the Mildura Field Days, Warren Lloyd and his team who organised such a great Field Day.  Credit must be given to the entire team for such a professional event.

Joh & Belinda, from koolaman designs proudly show off the koolaman collection to the Sunraysia Daily at the Mildura Field Days

The 2013 pop-up-shop tour continues in the coming weekends.  You can find us this weekend, Sunday 2nd June at The Design Exchange in Lydiard Street Ballarat.  At FarmFest in Toowoomba on June 4, 5 & 6 and at the Square Market in Bendigo on Saturday 8th June.  If you are heading to any of these events be sure to pop by, say hello and enter our monthly promotion to win a Liesel Bangle.  You need to be in it to win it!
 
For everything else koolaman designs please stay tuned to our Facebook Page, Twitter, our online store and our Blog.

Cheerio

Lisa and Stacey
 

 

Happy Mother's Day from the team at koolaman designs

Wow, the mad rush is over all our orders for Mother's Day have been stamped and posted.  We suspect there are going to be some very happy mums celebrating this Sunday with their very own piece from koolaman designs.   In the last few weeks there have been many beautiful pieces from all of our collections, carefully hand-stamped with care by our experienced team of stampers, pass through the koolaman hub.  The team has gone into overdrive to ensure all pieces arrive for those special and lucky mums in time for Mother's Day. 

Hopefully there will be many mums who receive a beautiful pendant like this on Sunday for Mother's Day

On the topic of special and lucky mums, Stacey and I feel very blessed and lucky with our beautiful mother, especially this coming Mother's Day.  We will not be around the children, but fortunately mum will be .  The two of us are about to take a little break and who have we turne to, to help make this all possible? Our mum of course!

We have being toying with the idea of a little trip for some time, but have only made it a reality in the last couple of weeks because our wonderful mum has stepped in to help out with coordinating the children.  Yes, there are plenty of people who we can turn to to help us out, but like all mums that mother's guilt eventually kicks in.  You question everything, you feel bad about putting others out, wonder if the children are going to be well cared for, what if something happens whilst I'm not around etc.  But when mum said she was available to help the green light was given, the trip booked and off we go.

There is nothing more reassuring than having mum look after the children.  The level of comfort provided, knowing mum is near, is unexplainable.  I think that's just the power a mum has.  After all, she is the closest thing to being the mum without being us.  In fact we think sometimes she is so close to being us, it's unbelievable! Perhaps it is the other way around though and we are more like her than we even realise.

Actually I think that is it. There are so many things I find myself doing or saying now and I think "oh my goodness am I turning into my mother? I think so!  At times I'm taken a back with shock by my own "mum like" admissions.  I've even found myself saying out aloud "gosh I sound like mum"! 

Now we have children too, I think being like mum is evident more than ever. We have spent a lot of time with her, learned much from her and relied on her, so really why is it such a surprise.    Maybe it relates to the fact that growing up and especially in the adolescent years the things mums say and do can be annoying.  Whinging about her rules and regulations are common place.  

How annoying was it when you would hear your mum say "If you can't say something nice don't say anything at all (often associated with picking on siblings).  Well I certainly find myself saying this to the children now, it is very common place. "Watching too much TV will make your eyes go square" really?  But now I totally understand the importance of having the children active and not spending hours in front of the television. Oh and finally mum would really drive us mad with this one "Have some fruit" when complaining of being hungry.  Fruit, why would we want that?  I certainly understand it now, the healthy eating message is more important than ever, especially in a world where processed and junk food is so cheap and easy to access.

Hindsight is a wonderful thing, but at the time when mum would insist on these irritating sayings, you would swear when you have children you will never be like your mum. You will never inflict those routines and sayings etc on your own children.  But before you know it, your own children are here and bang you hear yourself sounding like your mum.  You even catch yourself doing all those mum things you promised yourself you would never do.  

Why the change?  Well now that we have the privilege of being mothers ourselves, it just seems the old adage "Mum knows best" is true. What mum knew and instilled in us growing up seems to have pointed us in the right direction, so I guess we are sticking to the same model with our own families.  

When you hear people say you never really know just how special mums are until you become a mum yourself, we could not agree more.  Something about having your own children really gives you an appreciation of just how important a mum is in your life.  So to all mums have a very wonderful Mother's Day.   
  


The beautiful LIESEL Bangle has been a popular gift for this coming Mother's Day

We know many people for whom Mother’s Day can be a sad day and our thoughts are with all of you too.  A friend of mine, Jodi, lost her mum when she was 15 and here's her story of mothering without a mother.  Thank you Jodi for sharing such a  moving and powerful story.

Oh and if you are to receive your very own piece of koolaman designs for Mother's Day, we'd love you to share by uploading a photo or comment to our Facebook page.

Well it's time for us to fly, literally, we hope our little cherubs being beautifully cared for at home, don't miss us too much.

Thanks Mum!

Cheerio and Take Care

Lisa and Stacey

Win 1 of 2 stunning pieces of koolaman designs personalised jewellery

Hurry there are only 3 days left for your chance to win a your very own koolaman designs PENNY PENDANT or a LIESEL BANGLE.  Two lucky mums will be celebrating this Mother's Day with this great opportunity!

Mum's Grapevine Magazine is running this fabulous competition and entry is simple.  To be eligible make sure you are currently subscribed to the Mum’s Grapevine sales alert newsletter and have liked the Mum’s Grapevine Facebook page.  Click here and you will be taken straight to the entry page for further information.

So don't wait around, get moving and enter now.  This could be your most memorable Mother's Day yet.

Cheerio

Lisa & Stacey

Read all about it - koolaman designs stamps its mark on Australian Country Style Magazine

 Look at what has hit the newsstand around the country today!!!!!

Yes, it is Australian Country Style Magazine and we are thrilled to announce koolaman designs has a five page spread in the latest edition.

For those who know us and the koolaman designs team, you will know we are Country Style fanatics.  How could we have anything but love, for this classic yet modern magazine bringing stories and beautiful pictures from amazing people throughout country Australia.

Never in our wildest dreams, when we launched our business, we thought koolaman designs would be contacted and asked to feature in Country Style .

Here we are six years later and the dream is now a reality.  We were floating around the studio high on excitement for weeks knowing we would soon be featuring in Country Style Magazine, after their visit to Koolaman Station in late November 2012.

Although six months has past since the visit, we can remember the day in November vividly. Mixed emotions were flooding in as the visit date loomed.  When the day arrived there was stress and nerves as we busily cleaned and styled the house.   In true country style, Koolaman Station really turned up the heat.  Our visitors were greeted with a hot dry scorching day as the temperature soared well above 40 degrees.

We were excited and intrigued, this was our first big media shoot at Koolaman Station.  Nervous and anxious feelings were upon us not knowing how the day would pan out, not to mention how we would keep the children occupied, clean and focused for a long day.

The Country Style Team arrived around 9:30am.  After a quick meet and greet with Sharyn who was leading the camera shoot, Leon her assistant and Virgina the feature writer it was all systems go until the long hot day drew to a close around 4:30pm.

We had great fun working with Country Style to capture the story of koolaman designs.  Whilst the professionals were hard at, we were doing a little of our own camera work. Here is a sneak peek from behind the scenes, certainly no where near the real deal, but just a glimpse of how the day unfolded. 

Koolaman Station certainly turned on a hot day for our Country Style visitors.  The temperature had hit 42 degrees by mid afternoon

With three young children and a busy schedule, this is a great place for some quite reflection at Koolaman Station, when time permits.

The Koolaman Station is always a hive of action and activity.  On the day Country Style came to visit, it was no different.

Virginia, Country Style Feature Writer, Lisa & Stacey take a moment in the shade to discuss the koolaman designs story.  Lenny & Teddy are also on hand to offer some advice.

With the lunch break over, the team regroup to discuss the next steps.  Eliza is pondering whether the move from the shade is necessary.   Whilst Teddy, in true boy style, just wants to get the show moving

As the team headed out to the paddock for the next photo shoot, the temperature was searing and shade was scarce.  The crew sort refuge from the scorching sun in the shade of the wheat harvester.

Setting the scene took a little work. Eventually with some help and a little coercing, the children were ready and the paddock scene was set.

Almost right to go.  Just waiting for the right light to get the shoot underway.

Finally, the light is right and the shoot begins. 

Photo shoots can certainly be harder than they look.  With the enthusiasm and patience of the children was being tested under the hot sun heat, the team work hard to catch the attention of the children to perfect the pictures.

Christian Gorman  (third generation Gorman at Koolaman Station) and the children did a fantastic job to help perfect paddock scene

Unlucky Leon landed himself in a prickle patch. Fortunately Christian was on hand to assist in the clean up.

Finally, it's the final shoot of the day.  The team gather to have a look at the days results.  It's been a long hot day, but there have been some absolutely beautiful pictures taken of Koolaman Station and the koolaman designs story.

At last.  The children have been itching to hop into the pool to cool off all day.  Finally the time has come and Virginia and Tess also take the opportunity to seek relief from the heat

Thanks Virginia, Sharyn and Leon.  It really was a treat to have Country Style Magazine visit Koolaman Station. 

Don't wait, head out now and purchase a copy of the Australian Country Style Magazine for the full koolaman designs story.  The photos are just gorgeous!

Enjoy

Cheerio

Lisa & Stacey