Ok, so finally, here I am, here to say good-bye. The last hoorah. Au Revoir. All over, red rover. The end.

Ankle Biters is now officially defunct. Except for this blog, the website/facebook pages and the now half-removed signage on our car, nothing of Ankle Biters remains.

It has been tough, really tough, and only worsened by the whole bankruptcy thing. However, it is onwards and upwards! Somehow, we have managed to pull ourselves up and into a much more positive position. We are feeling optimistic about our future and the remainder of 2010, perhaps mostly due to the inception of Love Bytes, but also due to the fact that I am spending more time with the kids, organising our house and the like. We may be broke, but at least we are a bit happier!

We never did find a willing buyer for Ankle Biters, although we did find a lovely buyer of the STOCK that we had, and you should be able to now purchase much of it if you drop into Keperra Kids R Us Child Care Centre, in Keperra, North Brisbane.

Now, we just have a few more loose ends to tidy up, and it will be done!

I want to take this opportunity to shout from the hilltops about some amazing people who have helped us through our very own annus horribulus that was 2009. You know, I don't want this closing post to sound too full of cliches and the like, but it is hard to articulate our thoughts without it doing so. It is an absolute fact that we would not have been able to drag ourselves through this, if it wasn't for the amazing people that have bolstered and supported us through-out the ups and downs, and twists and turns.

Particularly, the community over at Skout Trade Fair has been invaluable and paramount to our emotional survival. The girls even met our practical needs many times over with gifts for our children at Christmas, an amazing delivery from Chrisco hampers, offers of advertising and more. So, although this might be a long list, I think that the least I can do to really thank these amazing people is to put a shout out here....

And so, in no particular order...

Lou from Lil Rockers

Lou from Maeve

Skout Trade Fair

Hayley from Little Pinwheel

Eva from Oz Baby Trends

Jo from The Toy Bug

Kat from Charlipop Kids

Katie from I Want Fabulous/About A Boy

Susan & Alison from Agoo

Lou from Buttons by Lou Lou

The gorgeous Kiersten Bissett (mwaah!! x.o.)

Jenny & Dave from Vegeout

Connect 2 Mums

Christine at Little DIVA / Kawaii For You

Stella from Little Miss Stella

Jo from Strawberry Communications

Cate Bolt

Hema from BornSage

Chris from Petit

Naomi from Thula Thula

Miriam at http://www.bubbachenille.blogspot.com/

Liesa at http://www.handmadeheaven7.blogspot.com/

Jodie at http://www.lovemum.com.au/

Heather at http://www.babiesandkids.com.au/

Stella at http://www.littlemissstella.com.au/

Bonny at http://www.bonnibuns.com.au/

Johanna at http://www.strawberrycommunications.com.au/

Siobhan at http://www.downtoearthorganics.com.au/

Tiessa at http://www.jtkids.com.au/

Belinda at http://www.dewdrops.co.nz/

Monica at http://www.beyondpinkandblue.com/

Melissa at http://www.ele-ahbaant.com.au/

Amanda at http://www.stylecollective.com.au/

Peggy at http://www.cookiesandcream.com.au/

Jannine at http://www.natureschild.com.au/

Georgie at http://www.merinokids.com/

Kerri at Molly and Jack, Oatley, NSW

Kim & Simon at http://www.stickytiki.com/

Amanda at http://www.bay6.com.au/

Mel at http://www.thehipinfant.com.au/

Victoria at http://www.downtoearthbaby.com/

Pam, Jude and Ros at http://www.organicbabe.com.au/

Despina at http://www.backpacks4aussiekids.blogspot.com/

Stephanie at http://www.moobeardesigns.com.au/

Katerina at http://www.twinklelily.com/

Jo at http://www.babyjo.com.au/

Angela at http://www.kidsstylefile.com.au/

Tracey at http://www.niftythriftyloveliness.blogspot.com/

Lianne at http://www.mystical-entertainments.com/

Anna at http://www.barefootmagazine.com.au/

Bev at http://www.trendykidz.com.au/

Pauline at http://www.funkyfriendsfactory.com/

Terese at http://www.redhillchildrenswear.com.au/

http://www.ministylista.onsugar.com/

http://www.aussieproductreview.blogspot.com/

http://www.ulitmateguide.wordpress.com/

http://www.tatyourtot.biz/

http://www.babyuniverse.com.au/

http://www.designer-kids.co.uk/

http://www.completepartyboxes.com.au/

http://www.rusticfuture.com.au/

www.cleverstreak.com/wordpress

http://www.bellybeyond.co.nz/

http://www.cackleberrykids.com/

http://www.upinanniesroom.com/

http://www.enchantedgarden.com.au/

That is a ridiculously long list of links - and so be it! It is just a poignant illustration of the amazing people we have come to know and love! If I have failed to mention you, please don't hate me! It doesn't mean that your gesture of kindness was lost or forgotten by us - just that my humble little brain hasn't been able to recall it in the few minutes since I have begun typing this!

And to our "real life" small, but amazing circle of friends Nat & Chris Saville, Louise Peters, Pauline McCarthur, my besties Bec, Kellie and Kellie, Freddo, Nat Tindale, Barbara Bennett, Jill Blacker, Sandy Forbes, Maryann Lister, Fiona Deegan, Tracy Couper, Iona Crichton.

Customers turned friends Shannon Morris, Tahne Brown, and Nicole Appleby...

To the only family members to have shown us true unconditional, emotional support and acceptance - Reg, Sally and Audrey. We can't thank you enough, there are no words that I can say that can get close to expressing what you mean to us.

If nothing else good has come from Ankle Biters; if no-one was educated, or learned anything about our eco-friendly message, if we weren't able to add even one ounce of good to the world from our efforts over the past 3 years, at least, I know this - the lovely people whose lives have touched ours, the (many!) customers who I now am proud to call my friends, have made it all all worthwhile for us. I know just how cliche this sounds, but it is from the heart, and so I guess really does smack of warm fuzziness. We have been embraced, supported and loved, by so many of you. Our lives have been forever warmed by having had you in them.

And so, as my kids sit out in the driveway dutifully peeling the signage from our car, the sun is setting on the final day of what we once believed to be our future. Instead, we have a new future layed out before us, and a new, hopefully happier path meandering in front of us.

We'd love for you to join us over at Love Bytes. I am beginnning to feel right at home once again with a camera in my hand, and loving some of the gorgeous images we have been making.

You can follow, fan, and catch up with us at any of these places:

The Love Bytes website

The fancy schmancy, new Love Bytes Blog

The Love Bytes Twitter page

The Love Bytes Facebook Fan Page

Please join us for our new adventures! We hope that these, and the coming years will prove to be happy, fruitful and fun, and will make the annus horribulus that was 2009 a rapidly fading, distant memory.

You will notice that all of our new websites/pages are bright, and vibrant and a bit on the lary side - well, this is our first step to our bright new future! I am determined to find the "old" me, this year! The me that was optimistic, full of bubbles and exuberance and always ready for a new fun challenge to throw myself at! Gone is the down trodden, cynical pessimist that has seemingly taken over my body lately! I am back, and I am here to tell all of the stress-mongers to LEAVE US ALONE!

We hope that you can join us in spreading our new message and our new image!

Thanks again friends, see you on the other side....

(that is, in the "Love Bytes" realm!)

hugs and bubbles,
tan, steve and the ankle biters.

xo.

Sadly, Ankle Biters is no longer available to "give" away as we had originally hoped. We are required to sell it, and if we are unable to do so, the trustee of our bankruptcy will take over and do it themselves. :( It is a long story, but basically, it is now out of our hands and we need to "advertise" that the online business is for sale for the amount of $10 000. Stock will be sold at the actual wholesale value if it is required.

It absolutely sucks that the thing that I personally put all of my energy and love and soul into can't even be passed on to someone in the same manner, and that it instead has become a commodity that we must demand money for. This is so not what Ankle Biters was supposed to be about but we are now at the mercy of our personal insolvency and the matter is out of our hands.

The sale inclusions are as follows:

Going by the figures to date, we have had the following turnover (we can verify all of this by showing you our accounting software and also by linking you to the back-end of the website which will show you the orders that have come in through the shopping cart system):

May-Dec 2008- approximately $25,000 (website only)
Jan 2009 – Dec 2009 - $77,000 (website only)
Aug 2009 – Dec 2009 - $25,000 (physical store)

So, if we use these figures as an indicator of growth (430%), and if we were to maintain the presence both online and in the physical store that we currently have, we could expect that in 2010, the growth would be slightly less but similar, and that the projected turnover for the year, should amount to between $300 000 - $350 000. This is not profit, but turnover, as we have not yet recorded a profit.

Inclusions:

The $10,000 contribution for the business changeover will therefore include the following:

1. The legal transfer of the Registered Business Name of Ankle Biters Australia over to the new owner. It is currently registered as a Sole Trader entity.

2. All artwork, banners, logos and copyright of all of these items, pertaining to the Ankle Biters branding. We relinquish all rights to this work, all of which I have personally designed and completed myself during the past 2 years.

3. Ankle Biters 2300 x 50 outdoor vinyl banner – suitable for trade shows and markets.

4. The main Ankle Biters e-commerce Website and registered domains as follows:

(i) The transfer of the following domains which are currently owned by us:

- www.anklebiters.com.au
- www.anklebiter.com.au
- www.anklebiters.net.au
- www.anklebiters.co.nz
- www.ecodisposables.com.au
- www.steinertoys.com.au

All of these domains are just parked at the moment and we have been meaning to set up dns hosting and point them to the main Ankle Biters site when we had the chance. The domain names are registered with Crazy Domains, and there is a fee to transfer them to a new owner/registrar, which is a few hundred dollars in Australia. I am not sure of the exact process, but we will arrange it if/when the time comes.

We also own the domains of www.waybasics.com.au and www.waybasics.net.au . If you look at http://www.waybasics.com/ you will see this is an awesome range of eco-furniture. We had made initial plans with the company to become their exclusive distributor here in Australia to the point of ordering in a pallet of stock and registering the domain name and posted about it on our blog. They are an awesome company to deal with, and wonderfully environmentally conscious and forward thinking. Of course, as it was all in the works at the same time as the internet scam came to light, we were left with no funds to place an initial stock order with them to begin the distribution. We have had a number of customers contact us and there is definite interest in the product in the market in Australia. If the new owner had the financial backing, it is a product that could very quickly see you to a great financial position, providing you can afford the costs of bringing in large orders via container from China and have the warehouse to store the pallets of stock. We have our shop fitted out with the stock that we initially bought in and can happily show it to interested parties if interested...

(ii) The website itself, which is hosted with Wahm Shoppes in the USA and the shopping cart software called “Feature Cart”. Ongoing costs of the website shopping cart hosting is only about $10 per month. Well, it is usd$7 per month, paid via paypal, and so varies with the exchange rate. There is also domain renewal fees which is about $24 per domain name, per year. There is nothing more to pay, except for your own Paypal fees if you decide to have paypal as a payment option through the shopping cart. Currently, we no longer use paypal and have credit card as a payment option on the site. The shopping cart offers a secure credit card collection service for this purpose, which we log into and then simply enter the customers details into our EFTPOS machine when we are processing orders.

(iii) The website has been fully optimised and installed with both Stat Counter (http://www.statcounter.com/ ) and Google Analytics (http://www.google.com/ ) to give full, comprehensive stats of hits and visits to the website, keywords used to search etc. This blog is also included in the Google Analytics to check the statistics for visitors to it too. We are currently averaging between 3500 and 6000 unique hits to the site per month:

(iv) The Ankle Biters website has a current very respectable Google page ranking of 4.

5. The Ankle Biters blog that is hosted here: http://anklebitersaust.blogspot.com/.

The blog is in the Blogger format hosted through Google. I worked for many, many hours, customising the template of the blog to come up with the final design so that it ties in really well with the appearance of the main Ankle Biters website and branding. I have also designed the layout in such a way that it allows you to enter in banners if you like so that you can sell off advertising spots on it in future. The blog also has links back to the main Ankle Biters website pages, the online community forum and also to the Twitter and Facebook pages too.
The blog is accessed through the Blogger Dashboard, and we will transfer log-in details to the new owner if/when the time arises.

6. The Ankle Biters online community forum that is here: http://www.anklebitersduds.proboards.com/

The forum is almost completed. There are a few bits and pieces to finish up on it with regards to setting up the categories, posting rules, tips and instructions etc. we have not launched this forum yet, although there is a link to it on our main website. It was something we had planned to build and market this coming year. The forum is hosted with Proboards and is free, but charges I think about $15 per month if you would prefer to have the ads removed from it. It looks MUCH better without the ads.

We really think that the forum has great potential for becoming very popular as whilst there are many parenting/mother/pregnancy forums on the net, we have yet to find one that is a GREEN parenting/mother/pregnancy forum. Going by many of the loyal and purist customers that we have had come into our shop, who are never short of voicing their opinions, we really think that this forum could prove to be a wonderful haven for parents wanting to source advice about living organically/eco-friendly and raising their babies/kids with this kind of outlook on life.

7. The Ankle Biters Facebook page that is here: http://www.facebook.com/pages/Ankle-Biters-Duds/12751612209

Currently, we have 902 “fans” on the page and it is growing steadily, following on from the success of the recent Facebook Garage Sales we have been having. The Facebook page is an integral, and hugely important factor in the Ankle Biters online presence and branding. It is a great way to announce sales and promotions and every time I post on the wall, it is guaranteed to receive a great response. After all, it goes out instantly to 902 live News Feeds, and is then seen by all of their “friends” in their News Feeds as well.

8. The Ankle Biters Twitter page that is here: http://twitter.com/anklebitersaust . We currently have about 450 followers and this increases noticeably when we are using Twitter regularly, and remains constant when we haven’t used it for some time. We have also now linked our Facebook and Twitter accounts so that when a post is made via Facebook or Twitter one updates the other. This is a really great cross-promotional tool as it allows us to ensure that all of our followers on all platforms are kept informed of our activities.

9. Ankle Biters profiles and banner advertising that is listed on the following directories and listings:

http://aussiewahms.gotop100.com/index.php
http://connect2mums.com.au/
http://www.oz-e-wahm.com/topsites/
http://essentialbaby.com.au/
http://www.kidsstylefile.com.au/
http://www.usenature.com/
http://www.essentialbaby.com.au/
http://www.kidspot.com.au/
http://www.stylecollective.com.au/juniorstyle.asp?dir=1&iddir2=40
http://www.kidsfashionreview.com/stylefile/company/ankle-bitters
http://www.usenature.com/babyproducts.htm
http://www.mumzone.com.au/
http://www.topbabyblogs.com/
http://www.truelocal.com.au/
http://www.hiplittleone.com.au/
http://www.ministylista.com.au/

Most of these are paid listings that will give the new owner at least another 6 months worth of advertising before needing to be renewed. There are more listings than those above, they are just all that I can think of off the top of my head.

Another point that you may benefit to know is that many directories and listings are done in alphabetical order. So, by default, with having the name “Ankle Biters”, you can pretty much always guarantee that the listing will be on the first page, due of course to “a” being the first letter of the alphabet! This has worked in our favour many, many times.

We have also been recently featured in Studio Bambini magazine and on websites such as http://www.growingupgreen.com.au/ , http://www.babyology.com.au/ , http://www.mumsgrapevine.com.au/ , http://www.kidsinaustralia.com.au/ .

10. The Ankle Biters Newsletter subscriber list. We currently have about 700 newsletter subscribers. The management of our newsletter is through http://www.verticalresponse.com/ and you pay for it as you go. Currently it costs us about $15 for each mail out that I do – it is worked out on a “per subscriber” basis, so increases nominally as the subscriber list increases. I think it is about .05c per person, per newsletter, or thereabouts. This software handles all subscriptions via the signup form on our website, and also ensures that unsubscribes and bounces are handled accurately. It also offers great statistics about each mail-out, with it telling you how many emails were opened, deleted or how many links were clicked on in the emails etc. Very handy tool to have.

11. A full spreadsheet of all suppliers and the products that they distribute. We will also include an additional file of new products we had planned to add to the Ankle Biters range over coming months.

12. All website passwords, user and account names etc associated with all of the above.

13. Continued promotion of the AnkleBbiters website through advertising/signage on our car for a 12 month period from the date of changeover.

14. Goodwill & a loyal, growing customer base that has come to love our unique products and personal customer service.

Stock:
We also have to advertise the sale of our current stock for $7,000. The $7,000 for stock includes all of the items listed in a stocktake spreadsheet that we can show to prospective buyers, with the true wholesale value of approximately $14 966.80. The items on the list are not guaranteed to all be included at change over, depending upon sales from the business in the meantime, but are given as a rough indication of what is available.

And that's about it! 2 years of our blood, sweat and tears, many sleepless, hardworking nights, and more, reduced to now to a cold, hard figure of $10,000. If any one is genuinely interested after reading the above, or knows of somebody who may be, please email us on shop@anklebiters.com.au as time is running out for us. The $10,000 figure is, unfortunately not-negotiable, and if we don't secure a buyer soon, it will be out of our hands and who knows who might end up with Ankle Biters? :( Certainly, it probably won't be somebody with the heart and passion that we have, but rather an astute investor who can see the amazing potential that our business has, and that would be the biggest injustice of all.

Worse still, it could be totally lost, never to be seen or heard of again, and how heartbreaking would that be?!

tan.x.

To give away - 1 x online business named Ankle Biters. This is a genuine offer. No stock will be included though. We will give it away, BUT it must go to a good home - one with heart, who can & will drive Ankle Biters to the place it deserves to be. U must have motivation & be able to see the potential in my "baby"...

Included in this offer is the ankle biters website, including domain, working ecommerce website, all intellectual property and artwork, the ankle biters blog, the ankle biters facebook page & twitter account, and almost completed community forum. The site already has a lot of traffic driven towards it, with approx. 5000 unique hits per month. Google Analytics & Stat Counter have been set up to monitor this & are included in the give away. Ankle Biters currently has a Google Page Ranking of 4.

Also a full list of product suppliers/sources will be given to the new owner. All of the hard work has been done! Lastly, we will continue to drive around the Ankle Biters car as a moving billboard for the new owner for 12 months following the change of hands. This will give ongoing advertising in the Bris/Sunshine Coast/Gold Coast areas - and it really works, - we have people saying to us all the time "we saw the car, and checked out your website" etc.

You need to know in advance that Ankle Biters is not yet making a profit. By our calculations, I would estimate that it will be another 12 months or so before it is. Ever since we were hit with the internet scam thing last year, we have been struggling to tread water, and I have just spread myself too thinly to take it any further.

BUT, I can tell you this - in 2009, Ankle Biters took precisely $78 523.21 and just over $28k, in our bricks and mortar store, between the day we opened on 29 August last year, up to 31 December (so exactly 4 months really). Meaning that in total, in 2009, Ankle Biters turn over was about $106,000 and it still was not enough to keep us going. Had we continued at the same rate, through-out 2010, we *should* have had a combined turnover of $170k.

However, if we look at the figures properly, and compare them with 2008, Ankle Biters has actually achieved a growth rate of amazing proportions really, as our TOTAL turnover for all of 2008, was only $24k. This means that comparably speaking, our 2008 turnover was only 22.6% of 2009 or that we had a growth in turnover of just over 440% between 2008 and 2009. Meaning that potentially, if the rate of growth continued 440%, 2010, COULD have a projected turnover of $466 400 between the combined efforts of the bricks and mortar and online stores. Or, if I let myself dream a little longer, if that rate of growth (440%) continued for another year, it could translate to a 2011 turnover of $2 052 160!!

Of course, as we just don't have the means to continue to support Ankle Biters for the time it will take to achieve such growth, that is not going to happen, and there are many other factors to consider such as the fact that we are no longer stocking Baby Jogger strollers which contributed greatly to our 2009 turnover.

Even so, it is also worth remembering that despite this seemingly good amount of turnover, Ankle Biters is yet to make a profit, and I have NEVER paid myself a wage either, every spare cent I have had has gone directly back into stock and store fit out, advertising etc. We take the occasional drawings here and there, and allow ourselves the luxury of the use of stock, such as nappies, cleaning products etc from the store when we need it, but that is about it, to date.

Ankle Biters has such amazing potential, for the right person, but they will need to have not only the motivation and the inspiration to do it, but the financial means as well. Money needs to be spent on advertising and marketing to really get the site cranking as it should be. Ever since we were ripped off, sales have been slow and the bulk of our business has come through the bricks and mortar store (which we are also shutting down). It is hard to know if it is because of the global financial crisis or if our customers have lost faith in us since i shared our situation so publicly, but whatever the reason, despite the fact that the hits to the website are still there, the sales are too quiet now for us to afford to carry it any longer.

As I said, we will GIVE it away, but it must be to the right person, one who has it in their capacity to help Ankle Biters realise the potential that it has. I have worked my butt off for over 2 years to make it what it is. Everything about Ankle Biters was done by me personally. It is very hard for me to part with it, but my heart knows that it is what I need to do for my family. It sucks in a major way to be doing this now, and never having been able to reap the benefits of the work that I have put in, but we have simply no resources left, except for my own energy, and even that is waning at the moment....

(Although, in saying this, I would do backflips if somebody were able to come to me and recognise the true potential that Ankle Biters has, and the work that has gone into it up to now, and say to me "here's $10k, hand it over to me, and i will make it soar!". Nothing, and I mean NOTHING, in this world would ease the ache in my soul right now then to be able to hand over $10k to my mother that we owe to her. If our car wasn't leased, I would happily sell it off for $10k and take the train everywhere for the amount of relief that it would give to us. Fact is, that aside from our car, and Ankle Biters, we own nothing else of any value that we could sell to get that money to her).

I want this year to be a year of recovery for us, and sadly, this is the first step towards that. I simply need to get over my own ego, and do what is best for my family, and not keep going with Ankle Biters simply because it is something that I have built and am proud of for my own sake.

If anyone is still interested after reading this, please email me directly on shop@anklebiters.com.au"

This is a, erm, "creation" that the kids and I made together & they are hanging from the ceiling, all over our shop!

Our Christmas "tree" - not your traditional tree, that's for sure! I picked it up second-hand from Ebay for about 10 bucks! Not all of the lights work, but it has character!

My display of En Gry & Sif hand-felted Christmas ornaments, looking gorgeous on our little white tree! Merry Christmas! These gorgeous stick on letters are from Fiona Kate. Our little white tree again, this time, naked, in our window display and sitting on a very cool storage box by Fiona Kate! My favourite thing - our Teepee! Gorgeous, Christmasy, Bubba Chenille... Our beautiful, recycled timber mirror... Looking through the glass at one of our window displays... Another of our window displays...
We chose to forego the traditional star or angel atop of our tree, and went for the next obvious choice, a bright red butterfly, of course! ;)
All the priiitty fings in our shop!

Hey everyone,

Well after much logistical juggling, I have finally been able to work out our opening hours for Christmas & New Year!

Mon 14 Dec - CLOSED Tue 15 Dec - CLOSED

Wed 16 Dec - noon-6.30pm

Thurs 17, Fri 18 Dec - 9am - 6.30pm

Sat 19 & Sun 20 Dec - 10am - 5pm

Mon 21, Tues 22 & Wed 23 Dec - 10am-6.30pm

Friday 25 Dec - Sun 3 Jan 2010 - CLOSED

Mon 4 Jan & Tues 5 Jan - noon - 6.30pm

Wed 6 Jan - Mon 11 Jan - CLOSED

Normal trading to resume from Tues 12 Jan.

If you are not local to Brisbane, please expect that your deliveries may take a little longer than usual due to public holidays affecting postal and courier services.

So, I am having a 3 day weekend this weekend, (closed tomorrow, Mon & Tues) to allow me to build up some steam for the ensuing 9 days straight of 7 and 10 hour days to follow.

I am hoping that I don't have to have Destructo Boy and his ever-ready side kick Demolition Girl in the shop too much, but if I do, please be patient as it is school holidays and I don't have many willing babysitters to call in favours from!

If you should enter the shop and see me red in the face, perspiration on my forehead, and frazzled hair, it isn't because of the weather, just the exertion of trying to contain a 3yo and a 16 month old in a shop that is currently a Christmas themed veritable children's wonderland!

We have heaps of stocking stuffers and some gorgeous new products that may not make it to the website (I do need to sleep at least a couple of hours a day!), so come in and have a "play" with our stuff! Oh, and those bearing gifts of chocolate will be warmly welcomed! :)

Don't forget too that next week is "Orange" week (starting tomorrow!), and we have some very special surprises in the works!!

tan.x.

Click on the image above to save

up to 40%

on select items as we try to make room for the Christmas stock arriving next week!

Olli & Lime, Nature's Sway & Ankle Biters made-to-order tutus are just some of the brands that we are "giving" away to celebrate my birthday!

Sale finishes Sunday, 6th of December or until stock runs out!

---

Decorating for Christmas, the eco-friendly way!

Christmas doesn't need to be the most commercialised, resource hungry celebration of the year, if we just think outside the square for a bit.

Let's start with decorating! We all want our homes to ooze festiveness. Let's face it, it just never feels like Christmas until that tree is up and sparkling. But how can we enjoy all that Christmas has to offer and be good to the planet and our consciences too? In the first half of 2007, the US alone, imported over $140 million worth of Christmas ornaments, most of which came from China. There's something to make you think!

Too many of the products on the market are made from non-renewable, often toxic and unrecyclable materials that are not only unhealthy for our families, they’re casting a less-than-festive glow on the earth. They require loads of resources, energy, and water to make and distribute, and often end up in the trash where they’ll take hundreds, if not thousands, of years to break down.

So let's get back to basics. Why not look at those infamous Three R's, in a different context to what we are used to?

Reduce: We all know that "less is more" in many instances. Think about this with decorating too! Do we really need to have so many ornaments on that tree? Do all of those lights really make a difference to your celebrations? Why not try to have just a few environmentally friendly focal points in your home? A beautiful welcoming wreath on your front door, the tree (of course!), and a beautiful table centre piece, will still give that joyous atmosphere for all to enjoy! Oh, and don't forget a spring of mistletoe over the door!

Reuse: Choose decorative items that can be reused multiple times or in new, unique ways. Start a tradition of "collecting" special decorations and ornaments and reuse them over and over - passing them onto generations to come.

Recycle: If items cannot be reused as decorations, recycle them appropriately, or use recycled materials to MAKE your own decorations!

Ideas for Eco-Friendly Decorations

Try to avoid overly "trendy" decorations. Choose ones that won't date too quickly so that they can be reused for many years to come. Regardless of the types of decorations you choose, they can be stylish, sophisticated, and eco-friendly.

Old CDs and DVDs: Apply some paint, beads, and ribbon to an old CD or DVD to make it into a snowman or Victorian-styled ornament for the tree or your windows.

Choose organic cotton linens such as table runners, and napkins rather than cheap, synthetic fabrics and/or throw away paper serviettes.

Decorate with potted plants instead of artificial or cut flowers.

Use natural elements: Decorate the tree with plain or painted pinecones, wreaths made from foilage and wildflowers, decorated eggshells, or dried herbs. Add a bit of glue, some ribbon, and other crafty elements to create angels or some earthy garland. Just be sure to compost your leftovers at the end of the holiday.

Grow aromatic herbs as part of practical and eco-friendly holiday decorations. These will give an aromatic, natural atmosphere all round and have the added bonus of being able to be added to that yummy Christmas feast!

Choose solar garden or LED Christmas lights in your displays and keep in mind the "less is more" approach.

Last year’s cards: Turn old Christmas cards into fun folded or glittered ornaments, or use them as place cards on Christmas day! Or why not try your hand at folding some beautiful origami using last year's wrapping paper?

Avoid synthetics and chemicals: Opt out of Mylar tinsel, which isn’t biodegradable, and spray snow, which is full of toxic chemicals. Instead, use durable tin tinsel and ditch the snow altogether - we are Aussies people - it doesn't snow at Christmas here!

Unwanted books: Got a paperback you’re never going to read again? Get folding and painting and turn it into a shiny mini tree for your table or mantel.

Reusable crackers: Enjoy the fun of Christmas crackers by making your own! But instead of using disposables like new wrapping paper or cardboard tubes, recycle old toilet paper or paper towel tubes, fill with special treats and a snap, and finish with cloth covers (old napkins or pieces of fabric) so that you can reuse them again each new season.

Opt for edible decorations: such as carved fruits and vegetables, decorated cookies, fruit bouquets, and artisan breads for a beautiful menu. Hang gingerbread people, popcorn, small lady apples, cinnamon sticks, cranberries, and candy canes. Or make-up some inexpensive salt-dough to create star- and tree-shaped ornaments. Add icing for detail and hang with a ribbon from year to year. Or get the whole family involved in a gingerbread house-making event and use that to grace your table for the rest of your time together.You can also create garlands using dried apples, oranges, and lemons strung together. And when they break, simply compost with your other kitchen scraps.

If decorating with candles, opt for environmentally friendly soy or beeswax instead of paraffin.

A note on saving money when decorating...

It is untrue that eco-friendly decorations are more expensive than mass produced, less sustainable options. Some organic products may be more costly with their initial outlay, they are also more durable and will last longer than less ecological options. Your dollar stretches so much further. To save even more, comparison shop between different retailers, and try to select locally made decorations to save on shipping costs and the carbon cost of transportation. This also boosts the economy in your local community! Consider making decorations yourself to limit processing waste and cost, and purchase items in bulk whenever possible to save money with quantity discounts.

With clever design and smart purchasing choices, eco-friendly decorations can be just as beautiful and budget-friendly as any decorative choice on the market, and will do your pocket and your conscience a world of good too!

Most of all, have fun decorating with your kids, I know that we will! And, don't forget to compost everything that you can when it is time to pack it up in readiness for next year!

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?"...

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!

And the winner is....

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!".

Ok, so here's the thing...

...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!!


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...

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!"

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.

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!