Canadian Thanksgiving in Australia :: Packaging & table setting

It was months ago now, but I was looking through my photos and realised I hadn't even loaded these pics off my camera, let alone share them with the world.

One tradition we have kept alive from our time in Canada is Canadian Thanksgiving (a little earlier than the USA equivalent). So back in October, we invited some good friends over, had a potluck with turkey, roast and all the sides and celebrated all we had to be thankful for.

When all the food was eaten and all the kids were quietly watching a movie, the grown ups all sat around and each shared something we were thankful for, and something we were praying and hoping for the year ahead. People really shared heart stuff and it was a great night. And that's what it's all about. When hosting an event, it's always the people over the food. The stories over the styling. And the conversation and being present, over the perfectly folded napkin.
I am looking forward to sitting with the same bunch of people next year and hearing how their plans and dreams have come about.

We truly do have a lot to be thankful for. I'm thinking we should start a movement here in Australia to get this thanksgiving business on the national holiday list! Beats halloween any day : )


Sources: 
Give Thanks gold foil wall poster
Plate circle & box labels - email me
Leftover Boxes

AUSTRALIA DAY PARTY

I hope you've had a wonderful week! With the public holiday on Monday, my week has felt all out of whack. Are you the same? It's been first day of school for Levi this week too which has brought a whole new routine to adjust to (hello early mornings and packing lunches!).

But rewinding to Australia Day last weekend, I wanted to share a few fun photos from our day. We had a few families around for a day in the pool and a BBQ lunch. It was so lazy and relaxing and everyone had a grand old time. I've taken to making some pinata's lately so whipped up a surfboard filled with Cadbury treats for the occasion. (The first one I made was for Ellie's birthday earlier this month that I am yet to share with you).

It was pretty low key, but a last minute design idea I did up, were these little favour boxes for all the kids to take home the piñata loot in. Finished off with a little Aussie flag from the reject shop!

Love this country. Love our culture. Love my friends & family!

P.S. I know I was late getting this invite in the shop for you to use for your own Australia Day parties, so I have made it into a wall print as well. You can purchase it here. Have your guests salivating with all those favourite Aussie foods! : ) 

PRINTABLE CHRISTMAS DECOR & PACKAGING

A week out from Christmas...and after some baking and cranking of Christmas tunes yesterday, I'm actually feeling it now!

I don't know what we're doing for the Christmas table yet this year, not being in our own home at the moment, I'm not sure what the theme is going to be, but I thought I'd share some printable decor options from my shop with you.

These would look great as a set, or just use bits and pieces from each set for things like packaging, gift tags, food labels, menu cards etc. for your Christmas celebrations.

Nativity Christmas Printables - available in my shop.

Snowflake Christmas Printables - This design is coming up to it's four year anniversary, but it's still my best seller, so it's staying put for now. It was designed in collaboration for Peekaboo Magazine, working alongside Sharnel Dollar & Naomi Vasington.
Decor available here & no-glue pyramid box available here. 

I hope all your Christmas preparations are coming along! 7 more sleeps...

Images : Nativity by Polkadot Prints | Snowflakes by Naomi V Photography

FLORAL SPRING GIFT BOX FREEBIE

I'm hearing lovely weather reports from back home. I can't wait to defrost and enjoy some beachy sunshine in a couple of weeks!

Here's a little something for you that I designed for the Canadian spring a few months back, and I never got around to sharing for some reason or another. I even had a little friend of Levi's help out with the photos, but do you think I can find them on my computer in this crazy time? Oh shame, they were really sweet. Anyway, I hope you enjoy!

Download these FREE Floral Gift Boxes here

I think they are perfect for little gifts, or maybe some sweet party favours for a 30th or 40th party? Maybe even a wedding? What do you think?

Have a great weekend! x

FOOD FOR CHAMPIONS :: FATHERS DAY FREEBIE

It's not long till Fathers Day! Here in Canada, it's celebrated in June, so I thought I'd share what we did for Dave a few months back.
The way to a man's heart is, as we all know, food! So we made a box of some of Dave's favourite things to give him from the kids. Donut holes, snacks and some of his fave flavoured tea's from this aptly named shop!
Maybe these labels will come in handy at your place too. Whether it's a little something in addition to a gift, or you could amp it up and make it a complete gift on it's own.

You can download the free PDF file right here. (Print fry box onto cardstock & decals onto label paper to create adhesive stickers)

Happy Fathers day dudes out there!

P.S You can find past Fathers Day freebies, here, here & here.
  
Images & artwork copyright to Polkadot Prints

DESIGN LOVE :: TRAFIQ

I've been looking at some packaging sites lately. I really need to allocate some design time to doing some more myself. (The old 'too many ideas and not enough time') I do love me some snazzy packaging though. And I know I'm not alone in knowing first hand, that clever packaging can sell anything!

This food packaging for Trafiq is so much fun. A cigarette packet for hot chips, and burger packaging that opens up to be your own plate. Clever, clever!

I hope you've got some fun weekend plans. I'm in need of some recharge. So hopefully I will get some downtime in there somewhere. Hope you have a good one : )

SHERBET + LICORICE DIP

You may have noticed, I've put my shop on holidays for the next couple of weeks. I've enrolled in a photography course as a little bit of personal development, and to give myself some space to fill my own creative tank. Time to design and create just for the pure enjoyment of it. I'm loving it so far!

My first self-directed projects to photograph was inspired by my own childhood. When I was a kid, we had 'lolly day' each Saturday morning. Introduced to condense my dad's love of brining home lollies, to just one day a week, it became a huge tradition in our house to have our lollies when we'd done our weekend jobs. One of our favourites were Wizz Fizzes with a stick of licorice. We'd lick and dip till there was no more sherbet left to dip!

Anyone else remember Wizz Fizzes? :) I have my doubts that there is anyone else in the world who might have similar childhood memories, but if you would like this packaging as a free download, please leave a comment below with your email and I'll send it to you!

P.S. If you have ordered invitations and need the matching printables, while my shop is closed, please just shoot me and email jordan{at}polkadotprints.com.au and we can get your event all sorted! x

Images // Copyright Polkadot Prints

BACK TO SCHOOL LUNCHBOX TREATS

The school year is about to begin here in Canada. The long summer break is winding down and there are new beginnings, programs gearing up again for the school year, along with anticipation of some cooler weather.

All the shops have stationery sales happening at the moment. And being a big stationery lover, I was inspired by all the notebooks, paper and pencils, and made some little treat bags over the weekend. Easy enough to pop in your kids' lunchbox; a special note of encouragement or happy surprise in the early days of a new year. 

Supplies
:: Notebook paper bags or whatever you have on hand (brown lunch sacks anyone?)
:: Round Chalkboard labels
:: Chalk
:: Lunchbox treats - I used yoghurt covered pretzels

I used these adhesive chalk-it labels which made it really easy. Just a matter of peeling, sticking and then writing a message. Filling with your kids favourite snacks and seal with, of course, a staple.

Your kids will be dancing just like this when they find a little love note from you in their lunchbox on their first days of school. Top mum award!

I'd love to hear what you think. Please feel free to leave a comment or ask a question in the comments section below. I'll always respond, so check back for answers or leave your email. I love reading what you have to say! Thanks for visiting. Jordan xo

Images // Copyright Polkadot Prints

ROAD TRIP TRAVEL PACKS :: DESIGN MOM

Since moving to the lodge, we've been doing a lot of travel. Weekends visiting family and even groceries involve hours in the car for us. Inspired by this new way of life, I bring you today's travel DIY.

With summer holidays coming up, I hope you download the free templates and create some of your own interactive snack packs to help make your next road trip a whole lot of fun!

I designed this with Gabrielle of Design Mom, who, herself is heading to the States from France for holidays with her family; a lot of hours of travel for them.

Get the download and details over on Design Mom here.

TRAVEL PASSENGER GIFTS

When you tell someone you're taking two small children on a 14hr plan trip, you can guarantee there will be an "oh, you're brave", "have you got drugs?" or something similar. We all know one of the few things worse than a crying or whingy child, would be a crying and whingy child in the confines of a plane cabin!

Hence the idea for this little peace offering to fellow passengers on our flight, to break the ice and say "sorry" from the start of the trip.

I wrote a little note from Levi & Ellie to fellow passengers, with some mini Easter Eggs (we travelled on the Easter weekend) and some earplugs. I packaged them in a drawstring muslin bag with an iron-on transfer on the front. I used my plane design to tie it all together (and it matched Levi's marshmallow building tin too). I made about 30 or so - just for those in the surrounding seats and a couple for the stewards serving on our section of the plane.

When preparing these, my sister told me how crazy I was making them when I had all these other logistical things on my list to do - "no wonder you're stressed out" she said. I explained to her that the stress now would be worth it when I got on the plane and my child was crying, and because I'd given them a pack, I wouldn't feel the need to apologise all the time. (Say sorry once first up with our little peace offering, and then travel in confidence, I say!) And you know what? It really worked!

The passengers around us were so impressed I got offers for help and even a nearby Grandma who offered cuddles any time I needed it. The stewards we gave it to offered us some lovely extras (win!) and it just got things off on the right foot, so glad I did it!

With such good success, I wonder now, would there be another situation you could use this for besides children? What would you put in your pack?

Images // Copyright Polkadot Prints

ALL BOXED UP

It's only a few sleeps till Christmas, and just three weeks till our baby arrives! I don't know what life will look like with a second child - so many unknowns all over again! I do hope he/she can wait till after Christmas though, I don't really wish for a Christmas birthday for this little one.

This past weekend, I organised an early surprise celebration for our 7th wedding anniversary coming up in January. I wanted to get a chance to have some quality time before our life gets a little addition. We had an overnight getaway, went to the movies *during the day* (gasp!), dinner in the city...ah the simple things. : )

It's a busy season for sure, but at the same time everything seems to start to winding down don't you think? Levi has his last day of Kindy this week, and we (I say that very loosely), made some passionfruit gem cookies to package up and give to his teachers. He even helped write his own name...awww. xo

What are you doing in this week to prepare for Christmas?