Subscribe to our newsletter:

Fill in below to be in the know!

* required

*



*





*



Our fans!

A loooong day at Fraser Island...

Proudly broadcast by... Love Bytes Friday, November 27, 2009 0 responses

So, last weekend, we decided at the very last minute to pack up and drive to Fraser Island for the day. When I say last minute, I mean LAST minute! It was about 8pm on Saturday night and if we were to make full use of the day, we needed to leave by around 4am the next morning to ensure that we would arrive at the optimal tidal times.

Ok, so I spent a chaotic and late night packing up the car and getting ready for the drive, whilst Steve slept so that he could safely drive us there in the morning.

Amazingly, we managed to accomplish the task and we had a lovely day at Fraser! The kids floated around in Eli Creek for a couple of hours, and even Neo, (who is petrified of baths due to Zali pushing him under one day) had a really nice time, as you can see here.

We spent many hours driving along the beach, and our car, who we call "Serious Black" handled it perfectly! We actually got Serious a couple of years ago just so that we could go to Fraser and camping etc, but we've never actually had the opportunity to go. So we were relieved that Serious Black cut through the sand easily, and even managed to snatch out a hilux that was bogged and had a broken axel! It was great advertising for Ankle Biters too as we had a number of people ask us about the business when they saw the signage on our car.





We had a really long day, admittedly, mostly due to me pushing everyone to take photos everywhere we went (what self-respecting photographer could resist the opportunity to use the beautiful backdrop that is Fraser Island?!). BUT, it was SO worth it! We really needed the time out from the stresses of home, and a beautiful change of scenery, plus, I got to capture these:



Just check out these little performers!

And, the day was not without it's hairy moments either! We almost ran out of fuel on the way back, and discovered that Rainbow Beach has no fuel available after 6pm so we very gingerly limped another 80kms down the beach to Tewantin, grinding our teeth the whole way and sweating it out with no air conditioning, hoping that we would make it! The poor kids, who were totally exhausted had to deal with our anxiety on top with us snapping at them all the way to be quiet as we weren't game enough to take our eyes off the fuel gauge!

Here is some shots from our "enjoyable" trip home...

Hehe, ok, so the one of Steve was a set-up, but it looked so "real" that I had to include it here! The one of Zali screaming her lungs out is NOT a set up! Her and Molly-Rose were fighting over the only pair of sunglasses that they had between them, and this was the result! :) Neo, as you can see, couldn't care less about sunglasses or anything else for that matter!

Those of you who know us may be asking where the boys were?! Well, Keegan was celebrating his birthday in Mackay with his Dad, and poor Jaimyn was sitting way back in the 3rd row of seats so I couldn't get my camera at him! (He was more than happy about this!) I did, however, manage to get one shot of him, when he climbed a tree and couldn't run away from me! And, doesn't he look impressed?!? I think it's because of the reaaaaally bad haircut that he has right now! (and no, it was not me who did it!)




Amazingly, we made it to Tewantin with about 2 litres of fuel to spare! And at about 9pm, we literally rolled into a servo and filled up. Another 2 hours later, we were finally home! I slept most of the way and poor Steve had only his coffee to keep him company as we all snored our heads off. Lucky we'd had the foresight the night previous to allow Steve to get a good sleep whilst I was packing the car!

So, all in all, it was a very eventful, loooooong day, but an enjoyable one, no less!

Now, one thing that struck us whilst we were on Fraser was the apparent disrespect that people seem to continually show for the island. It is a jewel on this earth. One of the most beautiful places that I have ever been lucky enough to experience. I am even more in awe when I consider that people travel from the other side of the world to be able to experience what Fraser Island has to offer, and here we are, only a few short hours drive away! We are so lucky to have it so close, and yet, every time we visit, we see evidence of people who don't seem to comprehend just how lucky we are. Rubbish, graffiti, pollution, people not abiding by rules set down by National Parks & wildlife are just some of these things.

Here is the latest example that we saw for ourselves:

Now why anyone in their right mind would want to waste their Fraser Island experience by spending time watching television is beyond me, but to just dump it on the beach is disgusting. I mean do people not get that they are destroying the very thing that they are traveling to enjoy?! If they took the trouble to drag the big heavy contraption all the way TO the island with them, wouldn't one simply take it home too? Possibly, it stopped working, or was dropped off the back of a ute? But, to just LEAVE it there, like that, on the beach?!

There is evidence of this kind of abuse all over Fraser, and I'm afraid that it could be getting worse. There are regular bush fires on the island now, due to the carelessness of campers who refuse to abide by the rule that says "no open fires allowed anywhere on the island". There is charred, blackened trees everywhere and many of the freshwater wash-outs that flow onto the beach are not their usual crystal-clear selves, due to the soot from the fires.

There are so many things to be proud of as an Aussie, especially the beauty that we are surrounded with, but honestly, the lack of respect for this beauty is something that we should all be ashamed of.

People travel from the other side of the world, paying many of thousands of dollars to witness something that we have on our door-step, and yet, some of us cannot even be bothered to pick something up and chuck it in the back of their car to ensure that the beauty remains. I can see that in generations to come, we will be lamenting the loss of such places like Fraser Island, and then what? We will all get to sit on our lounges, looking at the lost beauty through scenes on televisions just like the one left on the beach. Scenes that once were available to us for just a short drive, and scenes that television can never truly capture. Television doesn't show allow you to hear the birds in the trees, or the waves on the beach. It doesn't allow you to smell the salt in the air or to feel the sand in your toes. Nothing can replace the feeling of the wind on your face as you drive along the beach, or the icy chill of the freshwater on your legs as you wade through Eli Creek.

It is so sad that the very possibility exists that one day, we, and our children, may no longer be able to experience these gifts that Fraser Island (and other beautiful locations like it) has to offer, and I think that the image above, of the television on the beach, is a grave reminder as to why.

Please people, show some respect for what we have in the here and now, because if we don't, the days are numbered and simple things, like building a sandcastle on the beach, may become just another one of those old cliches following the question"do you remember when?"...

| | edit post

Disturbing Martha Stewart Video...

Proudly broadcast by... Love Bytes Tuesday, November 24, 2009 0 responses

I just came across this in my travels. This is wrong on so many levels, but the thing that alarmed me the most is that she has used insulation foam for the "lemon meringue" design. I mean, seriously, do they realise just how many chemicals are in that stuff?!?! Those poor little babies have it right in their faces!

I just can't see how anyone could think of this as "cute". Check it out and see what you think for yourselves!


| | edit post

Faaaaaaaaan US Winners!

Proudly broadcast by... Love Bytes Thursday, November 19, 2009 2 responses

And the winner is....

Tahne Brown!!

Tahne sent a grand total of at least 9 new fans to our Facebook page, and as such, she has won a $50 gift voucher to the Ankle Biters store - to use either online or in our physical store!

Thanks so much for your support Tahne!

....And as promised, all of the lovely gals that Tahne recruited for us, will also receive a $5 store credit. These ladies are:

Kirsten Smith
Lee Farrell
Selina Huntley
Sophie Wicksteed
Catherine Farrugia
Michelle Richards
Rebecca Jenkinson
Jessica Krop
Allison Bambrick

Those of you who have ordered from us in the past have already had your customer accounts credited with the $5.00 that we promised. Those of you who have not, will receive yours if you ever do! :)

Thanks so much for "fanning" us everyone, it is great to know that our name is getting "out there"!

tan and the ankle biters.

| | edit post

When is it time to admit defeat?

Proudly broadcast by... Love Bytes Wednesday, November 18, 2009 10 responses

This might seem like a simple question to some, but for me, it isn't. I have this stigma attached to me, thanks to my immediate family, that I "change my mind" all the time and that I have this inability to "stick with things".

However, I am just so sick of struggling. I work, tirelessly. I mean, tirelessly. From the moment I open my eyes, to the moment that I can no longer keep my eyelids from closing and I am falling asleep at my keyboard. I am working around the clock - being a mum to 5 kids, a wife, a friend to those around me who need my help, a conservationist, a housekeeper, the owner/operator of a physical store, the owner/operator of an online store, a student at Uni, and lately, a photographer once again; listed in order of my personal priority, but not necessarily acted upon that way.

....and through it all, where has it gotten me? Well, we are in the process of completing all that is involved in filing for bankruptcy. My mother has disowned me. My children are yearning for some mummy time, my poor husband is severely neglected. It is now a "normal" occurence for us to check who the caller is when our phone rings and we have a rule that it isn't answered if it comes up as private, because it usually means another bank or debt collector hassling us for money that we don't have. My house is a shambles and my poor kids have been living on takeaway and rummaging through the mountains of clean washing that I just can't seem to get folded, simply to find a pair of matching socks for school. My Uni, again, is going by the wayside and another subject about to be failed - not because it is too hard, but because I simply can't fit it into my day to even open a book and read a single page. By the very skin of our teeth, we have SOMEHOW managed to convince our landlord to have some faith in us and not to evict us for the $3000 in back rent that we owe.

There is so little of "me" left in ME. In happier times, I was sooo passionate about my photography, so energised by it. SO in love with my kids, and my husband. So ready to fight the fights that the environment needs us to. SO impassioned about child safety and child protection that I wanted to devote my life and my studies to it. SO ready to take on the world and to share with it all of these talents that people keep telling me I supposedly possess.

Now, I am downtrodden and deflated. I am tired, no, exhausted. Nothing energises me any more, and few things, apart from my kids, make me feel alive or bring a smile to my face. I mean, I have had dark times before, I have been on antidepressants for about 4 years now, but never, have I felt so defeated. Everything that I do seems to be just fruitless. It's 1 step forward and about 20 billion backwards. I am cynical, and distrusting. I am angry and volatile. The person that used to be known to many as "bubbly" and "exuberant" is now flat and aloof.

So, when is it time to admit defeat? When is it ok to simply throw my arms in the air and say "that's it! it's over! no more!". When is it ok to say, "right, shut it down. get rid of it all. clear it out and let the debt collectors come and deal with it"? When is it ok to be TRULY selfish, and say, "you know what? I'm over it. I'm over it all."

Should I just package up the stock that I have here that is unpaid for and send it back to the suppliers? Let our bankruptcy trustee try and sell the leftover stuff and pay out some of the poor suffering creditors that we owe money to? Should I just throw it all to the wind and forget what we are trying to build and the message that we are so fruitlessly trying to spread? I just know that if I did, in 5 years time, I'll look back and "know" that we could have been one of the booming eco-businesses - the same old adage - "coulda, shoulda, woulda".

My own conscience simply doesn't allow me to feel that I could hold my head up and be proud of who I am if my own actions result in a detrimental effect on others - meaning, I know that alot of my suppliers are struggling themselves and how can I simply send back our stock and expect them to wear it? Or likewise, allow them to be added to our creditors lists and simply write off our debts to them. But, at the same time, is it fair to walk around under a storm cloud and snap at my kids when they simply want to ask for a second of attention from their mummy, because of all of the stress I am living through? It is not their fault, they are just little kids and it was my choice to bring them into this world. They didn't choose to have a mum who doesn't know when to say "no" and who keeps taking risks in the hope that one day things will turn around.

How long are we expected to try and "stick it out", amassing more and more debt in the hope that "things will improve"?

You know, we are not greedy by any stretch. I sat here and heard a news report saying that Sarah & Lachlan Murdoch just bought a house in Sydney for $23m. Where is the justice in that? I mean really?! Can they honestly say that they work harder than us? Do they realise that they could be just as comfortable in a $1m house and could feel amazing if they spread the remaining $22m around to other families who need homes?

I'd be SO happy to simply be able to pay our rent, and our kids music lesson fees and to maybe be able to afford to go to the movies once in a while without having to spend the next 2 months recovering from the "frivolity" of spending money on a night out.

Is this the end of Ankle Biters? I don't know, but what I do know is that I can't go on like this for much longer. I need to stop this before there truly is nothing of "ME" left of "ME", because if we have nothing material to give, and then I have nothing of "ME" left to give, then what of my children? What do I have to offer them? What can I teach them about optimism and humanity? Children learn by example. It's an old cliche, but it's true. I know this as I've seen it and it is what all of my developmental psychology text books tell me. So what sort of example am I showing to them? "Hey kids, the meaning of life is this - run yourself into the ground, earn yourself a bad reputation and amass lots of debt. Ignore all of your personal needs and those of your family. This is the meaning of life - this will set you free".

Hmmmm, I think not. I think that something has to give, and that for once, I need to simply forget about the reactions of others that keep seeping into my thoughts and just say "to hell with it, it's all gotta go!".

| | edit post

A cuppa for Cate....

Proudly broadcast by... Love Bytes Wednesday, November 11, 2009 0 responses

Ok, so here's the thing...


I have had an EPIPHANY!!!


...and yes, my head hurts! lol.

I have, in my garage, about 100 pkts of Planet Organic Chamomile Tea, so about 2500 teabags in total!! We ordered these in for the idiot that ripped us off (see our blog archives to read about it), and I have been worrying about how we can "move" them as obviously, they have a shelf life etc.


They are normally about 4 bucks a packet and I've been selling them on our website and in our store for $2.50, and they are moving, but still not enough.


Sooooo, let's put our unfortunate circumstance to a greater good! I had already thought of running a big morning tea, charging people $5 for cake/tea and then donating the money to Project 18. BUT, now, there is something more pressing at hand! Project 18 could be jeopardized if the family at the helm find themselves with nowhere to live...


Here's the idea:


1. Link to this blog EVERYWHERE that you can!! Tweet it, email it, Facebook it, Blog about it!!

Send it to media and radio stations!! Get our message HEARD!!

2. Ask people to comment on it with a message of support for Cate, Rick and their family.

3. Ask people to donate $20 or $10, 0r even $5 to them by sending it to my paypal address which is tanyalove@bigpond.com . Please add .55c to your donation to cover the cost of a postage stamp. Cause we don't have $1000+ to cover all of the postage stamps that we will need to send them all out.






4. For everyone who does this, I will then send them out one of the yummy ORGANIC Chamomile Tea Bags you see pictured here.


5. Then, we will plan a day, and a time, after Cate and Rick have settled into their new home, and via webcam, I will sit with Cate, and her family and we can ALL collectively enjoy our cuppa tea TOGETHER as a bit of a "house-warming" celebration for them!



O-M-G, I am SO excited that my eyes are popping out of my head right now!!!! Like SERIOUSLY!! How AMAZING would this be?!?! Could this possibly be the biggest collective cup of tea ever in Australia?? Let's do it, let's make it happen!!


Oh, and "follow" our blog for updates on it, or just follow us on Twitter, or whatever, cause I'll make sure that post all updates there too...

Note: This is absolutely NOT a shameless plug for followers!! I am well aware that it may come across this way. To those who think it is, well, fooey to you! Get a heart and a bit of humanity and join in the fun!

Oh, and to the tool in Ghana who thought it was clever to rip off a struggling Aussie family using stolen credit cards, hardy, har, har, because now your nastiness and selfishness is going to help another family in need and boy, am I happy about that!!


I've also just set up a Facebook Group for this!! Please join us!



a very over-excited tan.x.

| | edit post

Where have all the altruists gone?!?

Proudly broadcast by... Love Bytes 1 responses

Giggling Molly-Rose, she's ALWAYS "up" to something!

Ok, so the theme for this post has been developing for a few weeks in my head now, and it is time for me to finally put it all down "on paper". You'd better get a big mug of tea or coffee, cause this is gonna be a long one!

See, the thing is, that I am saddened to feel that altruism is all but disappearing in our world. I mean, REALLY, where HAVE all of the altruists gone? Ok, wait, before I go any further, I'd better define the term "altruism" in the context that I will be using it here.

Molly-Rose again, now exhibiting her "deer in headlights" look...

So here it is, taken from dictionary.com :

al⋅tru⋅ism  /ˈæltruˌɪzəm/ Show Spelled Pronunciation [al-troo-iz-uhm]

–noun 1. the principle or practice of unselfish concern for or devotion to the welfare of others (opposed to egoism ).

2. Animal Behavior. behavior by an animal that may be to its disadvantage but that benefits others of its kind, as a warning cry that reveals the location of the caller to a predator.

Ok, so I've titled this post "Where have all the altruists gone?" because, well, that is just what I am asking.

We have been so blessed to be on the receiving end of some amazing acts of kindness of late, and I am so very thankful to those beautiful people who have worked to direct those to us. Without such acts, we wouldn't still be able to keep plugging along as we are, without those acts, our optimism would be completely diminished and we would be crumbling under the pressure of it all. Without those acts, I wouldn't be able to see light at the end of the tunnel. Well, ok, so I can see a PIN prick of light right now. It would be great to see a beautiful great big glow, but for now it is a pin prick and for that I am grateful because a few weeks ago, I was just trapped in a great big black hole, with no end in sight.

So, here's the thing - I have been learning to accept assistance when it is offered. This was a huge thing for me to do, and I did not take this lightly. However, I got to a point where I simply threw my hands in the air and said "Get over yourself, you have kids to feed!" And that's what I did. That is why I was able to accept the gifts that people sent to us and head to Woolies and buy my family some groceries (using donated gift cards), it is also why I was able to say simply "thank-you, it is a wonderful gesture" when a group of amazing ladies banded together and arranged to have a beautiful Chrisco hamper delivered to our door just in time for Christmas. Whereas previously, my ego would have gotten in the way and yelled "NO! Go away, I am strong, I can handle it!"


Zali, looking ever so sweet...
(this happens for about 2 seconds per day, this was a VERY lucky shot to capture! :) )

Simply put, I got over myself, because well, my kids were depending on me to do so. Right now, I know of another lovely lady who is working on doing the same. Her very large family are in dire straits and may find themselves without a home if a miracle doesn't occur within the next 6 days. Cate and her family are proud and hard-working and altruistic in every sense of the word, and yet, they too, are now at the mercy of those who have chosen to go "by the book" rather than to be guided by their hearts. You can read Cate's story here: http://www.catherinebolt.com/. And, if you think you can help, please do so by making a small donation via paypal to tanyalove@bigpond.com or email me on the same address.

So, having been on the receiving end of many acts of kindness, I know that I could not hold my head up high and accept these gestures without somehow, doing something in return, or at least feeling as though I have tried to give something in return. I have exchanged my skills as a photographer, and my design skills and my sewing skills in my attempts to repay what others have done, and now, I am working hard to "pay it forward" and give the Bolt family a pin-prick at the end of their tunnel too.

What I do not understand though, is this. We've all heard about karma, what goes around comes around, we've all heard about "paying it forward", etc, but to be honest, I don't think that these things can or should be used as a reason to help someone in need.

As I posted above, TRUE altruism is

"the principle or practice of unselfish concern for or devotion to the welfare of others",

or if we look at it at the most basic level that is found in the animal kingdom, it is

"behavior by an animal that may be to its disadvantage but that benefits others of its kind, as a warning cry that reveals the location of the caller to a predator."

To me, this means throwing those hands in the air and yelling "stuff it, I don't care if we can't afford it, I am going to help these people". To me, it means "I'm doing something to help, and I don't want them to know I did it". To me, it means "If I get myself in trouble for doing this, then who cares because I know it will help someone in need". To me, it does NOT mean "oooh, I might help out because it will get me some good PR for my business". To me, it does NOT mean "if I help out someone else, it will come back to me 3-fold". To me, it doesn NOT mean "if I do something nice for this person in need, they will then owe me a favour later on down the track".

Zali in an outake & looking NOT ever-so-sweet! She was saying "Look Me Mummy, this is how you be a model!" Hmmmm, well, maybe SOME models pose like that! lol. Excuse the fig leaf, I didn't want to share her Dora the Exploer undies with all of cyber space!

I once had a person who was offering to help us say to me, after I thanked them for their kindness; "oh, it's ok, I know it'll come back to me". A short sentence, perhaps, but read deeper into it - I mean, wasn't that person simply saying to me "I'm only actually helping you out because I know that some way, I'll get it back". Whether it "comes back" in the physical sense with cash, business sales, favours owed, products, services or even with be awarded an entry to "Heaven" rather than "Hell", it still says to me that this person does not want to actually do a nice thing for our family, but rather is doing it in the hope that they will be rewarded for their actions. I find this a really sad illustration of society today. Really, really sad.

On the other hand, even if I am completely honest with myself (and you who is reading this!), I can't say truthfully that I, myself, have ever committed a completely, unequivocally altruistic act. Even when I have given a donation anonymously, or arranged a gift for someone, or gone further and organised something really HUGE that will be life-changing for the receiver, I have ALWAYS received something out of it. That something - well, it is that warm, glowing feeling in my tummy. The goosebumps that run down my arms and legs, and spine. That kind of nervous tension and hyperactivity that comes from being excited about doing something wonderful for another human being. Kind of like when you've pigged out on a massive block of chocolate and you sit back, wickedly thinking that you know it is bad for you, but who cares, cause it feels soooooo good!
Back to the animal kingdom version of "altruism" (behavior by an animal that may be to its disadvantage but that benefits others of its kind, as a warning cry that reveals the location of the caller to a predator), I think that really, that is probably who I am in many ways, and knowing Cate's situation, I can tell you that she is too.
We have both committed to helping a "greater good", and unfortunately, it has been to our own detriment. Cate's commitment is far greater than anything I have ever pledged to do, but I still understand how she is feeling right now.
Cate was told today that she should get off her butt and go and get a job to pay her bills. She was told to stop "hiding behind the poor little orphans as an excuse for being a bludger". Likewise, a couple of Christmases ago, I chose to purchase "gifts" for my family members from Oxfam. For one, I paid for an egg laying chicken to go to a family in a third world country, for another, it was a lamb, another it was school books for a family of children. That Christmas, I felt that I had REALLY stumbled upon the true meaning behind the celebration. I was so excited to present my gifts to my family, knowing that they would "get" just where I was coming from. Well, the complete opposite was true! Like Cate today, I was faced with responses like "you can't even afford to buy your own kids presents and you go and do this?" and "charity begins at home" and "why help out village on the other side of the world when you just had your phone disconnected cause you couldn't pay the bill?" and more. It seems that they couldn't understand just why I would exhibit this "behavior that was to my disadvantage but that benefited others of my kind", and it seems that there are many who believe this of Cate Bolt and her efforts too.

Our little man Neo, loves to play in his Daddy's arms!

As it stands today, the inability of others to understand my outlook has led my own mother to last week "disown" me. Apparently, she no longer considers me her daughter, or my children to be her grandchildren. This is because we currently owe her money that we can't afford to pay back right now, and to her, that is more important than the well-being of her own flesh and blood. When a mother can't even show selflessness to their child, how could it possibly be expected that she could understand why that child would show it to others?

I believe that every selfless act still offers something in return to the giver. Even the ultimate in"selfless" acts like donating organs and giving blood, are followed through with the knowledge that your donation has helped brighten (or save!) another's life. This can be to help to heal a grieving family, or to strengthen your own resolve as a human, but it still, I believe, cannot be considered totally "selfless" as you (or your family) are indeed receiving something back for your amazing gift.

Don't get me wrong, I am not saying that this is a bad thing! Any act that helps another has got be a good one - regardless of the motive behind it. But, I am really starting to wonder is it actually selfish to be "unselfish"? Ok, well, actually, I think that it’s not exactly selfish to be unselfish, but it’s certainly self-rewarding. The positive psychologists will tell you this, and it’s really true: performing a good deed, doing a loving action, makes you feel great, as I already mentioned above, and as I know myself today through my efforts assisting Cate and her family.

So, let's just say that altruism is really a "self-REWARDing" trait to have, and you know what, if that's the case, then I'd be really happy to "reward" myself whenever I can!

I hope that you, reading this, are self-rewarding on a daily basis, and lastly, if you've managed to get through this entire blog post and have been able to actually understand my very verbose, poorly formed late night ramblings then, you deserve more than a "self-reward"! You deserve a nice hot cuppa!

So, post a comment here, and I'll send one your way! A gorgeous pkt of Planet Organic organic chamomile tea will be sent to all who respond to this post, so long as you email me an address (shop@anklebiters.com.au) to send it to! ...because, I am hoping that there will be some thoughtful chatting stemming from this post, and what is a good, Aussie chinwag without a cuppa to enjoy, eh?

tan.x.

PS the shots through-out this post have absolutely NO relevance to it! They are simply there because I took them today and I wanted to brag to you all about just how gorgeous my babies are, as well as to break up my monotonous dialogue and give you something a little entertaining to view!


| | edit post

Just HAD to post this...

Proudly broadcast by... Love Bytes Tuesday, November 10, 2009 0 responses

For no other reason than to say how COOL is this...?!

| | edit post

Faaaan US!!

Proudly broadcast by... Love Bytes Sunday, November 8, 2009 0 responses

Ok, everyone, we need to do something about this measley number of Facebook fans that we have!! So, here is some motivation for you all! We'll give a $50 Ankle Biters voucher to the person who can get the most number of new fans to our page!! Here's what you need to do to enter:

1. Send a suggestion to your friends to become fans of the Ankle Biters Facebook page.

2. When you send the suggestion, ask them to post on our wall and say who referred them here, after they've become a fan.

3. Tell them about the comp, and let them know that as a special bonus, we'll give a $5 Ankle Biters voucher to EVERY new fan that the winner of our comp signs up!

Ok, so yes, this could potentially send us broke, but it COULD potentially be a lot of fun too!

Oh, and one more thing, if we reach a grand total of 1000 fans by this Sunday, 15th November (which is STEVE IRWIN DAY!!), we'll give away another Kids On Roof "House" that everyone was clambering to get their hands on during our 500th Order promo that we just had over the weekend! The winner will be drawn randomly from all of our fans!

So get "suggesting" people, I wanna see our fans GROOOOWWWW (unlike my oregano plant that I just found Neo helping himself to this morning!)...

Our Facebook Page

tan.x.

| | edit post

Winners are GRINNERS!!

Proudly broadcast by... Love Bytes 0 responses


STOP PRESS!

Winners Announced!!


A big congratulations to the 3 lucky winners of our 500th order promotion! They are:


1. Order #499 - winner of either a Bacche pack or custom-made tutu valued at $55 is S. Morris of Ferny Grove, QLD.



2. Order #500 and the lucky winner of our Grand Prize - a "House" by Kids on Roof goes to M. Paterson of Pascoe Vale, VIC.



3. Order # 501 - winner of either a Bacche pack or custom-made tutu valued at $55 is A. Mergard of Newtown, NSW.



Thanks to everyone who placed orders leading up to our promotion! We hope that you all enjoy your lovely Vanilla Lip Balm that you have received as your free gift from us and the gorgeous purchases that you have all made!

| | edit post

Busy, busy little bee....

Proudly broadcast by... Love Bytes Saturday, November 7, 2009 0 responses



There is A LOT happening behind the scenes at Ankle Biter Central right now. Photoshop is my best friend with me doing so much artwork for ads and promos and the website, it's just not funny!
Those of you with a keen eye may have noticed that this here blog is looking a wee bit more organised and even a bit pretty of late as I have been working my little fingers to the bone re-designing it! Woohoo!

I've also been designing something else exciting and that is our very own Green Parenting Community Forum! I will be formally opening it for posting in the coming week and we will be celebrating with competitions to see who can invite the most number of members to join, with some great prizes up for grabs, but more on this later! (That was just the teaser to get you thinking about who to invite!).

Sadly, it has been sooooo quiet on our website of late and as such the prizes for the 499th, 500th and 501st customer orders are STILL up for grabs! This could be your lucky day! Grab yourself some half-price organic cotton Bacche clothing and you could bag yourself some awesome prizes too!

As well as the Bacche sale, today we are commencing our Christmas promotion. I'm not letting the cat out of the bag just yet, but what I will say is that it will be a very COLOURFUL Christmas around these parts!

Keep an eye out for our new products too everyone! In the next couple of we weeks we will be taking delivery of a beautiful range of Under The Nile toys & clothing, the totally awesome Ecococoon cups, the full range of very funky Rock-A-Bye Baby cds (lullaby renditions of your favourite rock bands!), more eco and wooden toys than you can poke a stick at, recycled grow-a-note Christmas cards, and I am very excitedly awaiting another gorgeous delivery from none other than the beautiful Miriam at Bubba Chenille just in time for Christmas!

Lastly, I have been having a wonderful time getting to know Lou from Lil Rockers! Lou and I have been nattering away about all sorts of things and I am honoured to be photographing some of her range of products for her in coming days! Likewise, I will be giving my camera a bit of a work out in support of Cate Bolt and Project 18 too.

This leads me to my final point. I sincerely hope to do all that I can to assist Cate in realising her and her families goal of raising the funds that they need to get their orphanage and orangutan refuge off the ground in Indonesia. As part of this, I am acting on behalf of Cate to accept donations in the Brisbane area at our store. For further information about what is needed by way of donations, please contact Cate Bolt with your request. However, for those who are in the know already, please deliver or address your donations to:

Project 18 Donations
c/-Ankle Biters
Shop 14, 51 McGinn Road
Ferny Grove Q 4055

Please also take the time to make a small cash donation the Project 18 website. You can do so via Paypal and even small donations such as $5 or $10 are GRATEFULLY accepted!

| | edit post

The Bacche BIG sale on NOW!

Proudly broadcast by... Love Bytes 0 responses



Hello to all of our loyal followers!

We are having a fantastic sale right NOW! All Bacche organic cotton clothing is HALF PRICE and NO that was NOT a typo!! Half price while stock lasts! Get in quick!
http://www.anklebiters.com.au/

Don't forget also that we are yet to reach our 500th sale! Only a few more to go though and the lucky winners will be receiving their goodies! You gotta be in it to win!

Lastly, I am so excited to announce that the Ankle Biters Green Parenting Community forum is almost complete! Yup, that was a surprise to some of you I know! Soon you'll be able to chat away about all things Green, all things Parenting and/or BOTH, to your hearts content in our own littlel universe!
Watch this space for more details...

Tan. (The Queen Bee) :)

| | edit post