Lime's Redevelopment Holiday!

I'm so excited about this...

For some time now I've been working on a bigger and better LIME behind the scenes.  What I've come to realise is that its extremely hard to keep running a business while working on its redevelopment.  Actually, its near on impossible!  Especially the way I'm wanting to do it!!

So, on that note, the LIME website will be going on holiday from the 15th of August.  I'm thinking for around 3 months, while redevelopment takes place...

I'm really excited about this new venture... its LIME + some.  In a lot of ways its how I always envisioned LIME to be, but somehow one just gets caught up in the everyday running of a business, and the first thing to go is the development.  Not this time.  The dream is to be had.  And its to be had BIG!

So... I'm about to mark down our current stock MASSIVELY today.  Once Aug 15th arrives, the stock that is left will not be kept for the new site.  Didn't I say LIME was getting an overhaul?

I'll still be about during redevelopment, and look forward to sharing a sneak peek or two at times.  However,  having said that, I also want to kick off with a bang in the near future, so I'm sure you will understand if I keep my cards a little close to my chest.

Righto, I best get the rest of this stock up, and pull out the red pen!

Have a gorgeous end to your week,

Katrina x  

Dusk swimming in the Tropics

It's an Evolution...

You know the best bit about business?  Its the ever changing.  The natural evolution that can only happen over time.  It can't be rushed, and often can't be planned.  You see... these things just seem to... evolve.  

At the beginning you know 100% how you want your business to be.  You certainly know what you don't want it to be!  You plan it completely, and you follow your machette thrashed track like a fevered savage!  After a few months you think it might be nice to hang a right, and just risk walking amongst the jungle weed for a bit, but you know if you just stay on your hand beaten track, you will get to where you are supposed to be going.  Where you planned to go.  And then 9 months down the track, without realising it... you look back and alas, you've somehow gone off that track!  You are no longer going straight, you've managed to shift 45 degrees without realising.  Darn it!  You start making plans to get back on track and then you think, hold on a minute, maybe I should be going this way?  Is this a sign?  I'm 45 deg off track, yet all is going along swimmingly.  Hmm, maybe I'll stick to this track after all!  And herein lies the natural progression of business.  A funky kind of evolution.  A shifting of the original plan over time.

There has been a few of these for LIME over the years.

None more so than now.

You see... I'm about to make a rather huge shift for LIME.

For some time now, I've been contacted by people wanting to do what LIME does.  And, they want to know how to go about it.  Mostly, I'm more than happy to help where I can.  Its a wonderful business if its your passion.  However, I do believe that there are some things that you just have to find out for yourself when in business.  Not only does your business evolve, but so do you as the business owner, and you can only find these things out by living them.  The highs and the lows.  How I have mostly been able to help is with stock to kick them off.  And to be honest, its something I've enjoyed doing!  LIME was never set up with this in mind!  It was always going to sell single pieces to families!  Selling bulk packs of 5-50 items wasn't something that I ever envisaged doing.  But alas, I have been!  And its something I want to do more of.

So, on that note... LIME will be following the bulk/wholesale/resale path alot more than it currently is.  I will continue to sell some single pieces, but will also be concentrating on selling bulk packs.  Whether that be as shop stock for someone else, as a bulk pack for a Mum, or a bit of both, thats up to you!  Most packs will be sold in a single size/gender bracket for this very reason.  At a nice bulk price bracket too :-)  My gorgeous customers have been so good to work alongside, and I'm not about to stop now!

So... this is LIMES latest destination on the evolution path.   I will start getting some smaller bulk packs up in the next couple of days.  If you have a specific age bracket in mind, let me know.  I understand that if you are wanting to resale, you may not want everyone else to see what price you have purchased them for, should they be on our website.  So, send me an e-mail... I'm happy to work directly with you behind the scenes.

Thanks for your ongoing support of LIME.

Katrina x

    

Clothes LIME has checked into: her blog! :: Part 1

Yes, its true!

I think its safe to say... its been a while!

I know.

I'd like to say our Interstate move took a long time.  Like a 1920's 6 month ship voyage, but alas, it did not.

Anyhow, lets not focus on the delay!

We are now in Cairns.  LIME is now in Cairns.  And it is great!  Cairns is a super city (its a city right?!) and has so much to offer a fresh-food-and-sun-loving, trying-to-keep-it-simple kinda family!  We are in our element here (the only thing missing is a few special people, but we can't all live in the same place can we?)

Anyway enough of the words!  Here's some of what we've been up to. (Over two blog posts otherwise it will be photo overload!)

Exploring 'Our' new beach:

Our Neighbours:  Palm Cove

Our local Fruit and Vege Markets (soooo in my element here!)

A little unsure!

Dusk Street Riding:

Cairns Esplanade:

Visits to Kuranda:

$5 Mini Golf and the course is stunning!

The best and cheapest Crepes I've ever come across!

Hope all is well in your part of the world!
Katrina x

Camera meets Miss almost 2

Ever since we bought Miss 7 and Master 9 cameras, Miss 23 months, has wanted a slice of the action.  Initially I thought her far to little.  Then a couple of months ago, I decided to teach her how to use a basic point and shoot (which lets face it... is about the extent of my capabilities too!)  Oh my, I've unleashed a baby paparazzi!  Her main subject of choice is most def. her big sister (or the crazy faces of, to be precise!)  While sorting photos I found these she took when 21mths old.  Not bad, not bad at all.

Linking to the lovely Natasha at little love : home of the small for Little Chicks.

Project Play

I've been taking stock.
Every now and then I think we all just need to stop.  Stop and take the time to think.  I guess its 'me' time... which is really quite a rare thing when one juggles the demands of everyday life.  I know you can relate... its all of our lives!

For me, this time comes not when I'm at my best, but when I'm struggling to make sense of life!  Its a moment when I literally scream in my head, 'what about me?!'  And funnily enough, once the time has been taken, the plans written down, and the ideas alive again, I find what makes me happiest is mostly doing it for my family anyway!  Aaahh, complex things are we women!


Amongst these plans and selfish (but oh so justified) me dreams comes a settling reality that I am actually on the track I want to be on (well mostly) but I've just lost sight of a few things that have always been important to me.


One of these things (and you'll hear about more in time to come) goes right back to my Early Childhood Training many moons ago... the importance of positive role models, learning through play & experiences for our little people.  Back track pre children, and I put my all into making sure other peoples children had every experience/tool I could offer to help them become the confident and skilled people they were to be.  Along came my Number One, and again, every opportunity was grabbed and given.  Number two and I have to admit, I started to slip a little (being a partner in a 7 day a week business may have a little something to do with that one!)  And then hello, Number 3, now 22mths.  I suddenly realised that I wasn't doing all I want to do for my Small People.  Yes, the positive role modeling hadn't gone, but the experiences and opportunities for varied learning through play had!  Can I honestly say that with the knowledge I have, that I'm doing all I can?  Quite simply... no.


And so Project Play began!  A conscious effort to do more each day with my children.  (And this doesn't always equate to more time.  Sometimes its just giving them the tools)  To provide more opportunities (and I don't mean classes).  To stop.  To be child lead.  To laugh, make-believe and be silly.  To make memories.  To take more pictures.  To just be... with my Small People.


Project Play.  An energy to strive to learn new things to offer my Small People.  A push to remember to take pictures!  Pictures capture the moment... so I can see I'm on track, and we have a record to look back on in years to come.  (Don't you often wish you had more pics of you doing the things you loved as a child?)


A project that will only benefit us all.  Exciting huh? (Join me!)  I'll be posting some of our Learning through Play pics, and what we've been up too each week.  Maybe you'd care to share too, and we can all get ideas.


***********


This past week or so, my biggest challenge has been remembering to take pics!  (and please excuse the quality - terrible light + hopeless camera = shoddy pics!)  Anyway, here's a visual snippet of what we've been up to...

We started off with brushes, and paint.  Moved onto finger painting, and by the time we were done, it was whole hand painting!

      

Moneybox Play: Exploring, sound, texture, counting, sorting, fine pincer grip... Simple and fun.  No setting up.  Lots to learn. 

After a game of cards... building is fun.

Water/Bubble Play:  Throw in some containers, sponges, cutlery, and you have at least 30mins of fun!  Great when doing dishes yourself!  And forgot the water that reaches the floor - its just water, and takes all of 2mins to wipe up!

Glass Painting.  Lots of fun, and looks super!  Use water paints, and it literally takes 3mins to wash away.

1000 piece Puzzle fun!  We keep this out, and everyone sits and has a go until complete.  Even the littlest member gives it a go!  She's not yet 2 but knows the puzzle rules (she's mostly learnt by example) 

Building Blocks.  We also added farm animals once building was complete.

Making her own necklace.  She kept at it until she had about 15 beads done!  Huge effort for an under 2!

Then it turned into a sorting game.  She sat and played with the containers and beads for about 45mins!

Again I apologise for the quality of the pics... I will try to do better next time!  
Hope your week is kicking off to be a great one!
Katrina