Come and join us on our new blog and website...

You might have been wondering where we have gone....?

Well in April I launched a new website that has a blog as well as the ability to purchase all items for sale by Return To Eden and to view past items, contact us and read all about me and the what I am up to.

I can't wait to see you there so come and say hi www.returntoeden.co.nz

And of course you can always find us on Facebook.

I am late for a very important date.....

Ahhh yes like the rabbit in Alice in Wonderland I am very much running around a little crazy and late for an important event - the launching of the Return To Eden website.

Firstly I must apologise for the website not yet being launched.  The very evening prior to the photo shoot I had a knock at the door while replying to emails and it was a man looking very stunned and worried.  He stuttered as he blurted out the words that he had run over a cat.  My immediate thought was "my cat does not leave the property so no worries here", long story short I was wrong.  My darling Molly Girl had taken to a spot of rabbit hunting (how appropriate a couple of days out from Easter) only a few meters away from our gate and when running back she got hit by this man and died.  He was very kind to tell me as we live rural and had he left her I would have gone to check the mail in the morning and found her squashed on the road.

I was alone at home as my fiancee and Children were out of town.  I was devastated, incredibly sad and have shed days and days of tears.  I am very much a cat person and since moving towns, with working at home and my family being away a lot, she was my best friend.  My children are no longer small and so she had really become my baby. Molly Girl will be missed for a long while yet.

A gorgeous friend of mine came over to take photos for me but I was a lost cause and could not help but she did do a marvelous job to help me out.  I also had a call from the Payment System people who manage the payments for the website and they told me they would not have my details fully processed until some time after Easter.  So either way I could not really launch the website and I had to cancel Thursdays final preparation and hitting the "GO" button.

Then of course we have had Easter (which I hope you have all enjoyed the break and done what makes you very happy).  I also had my birthday yesterday and was very happy to have my darling family from 3 other cities in New Zealand come and spend the day and night with me.

Today I am feeling a lot more at peace with things and am able to get on with the urgent task of creating 7 pieces for the Oh Baby magazine shoot which is to be held in two weeks time.  The theme being the Mad Hatters Tea Party is also very appropriate for the present time and events as I do feel like the crazy manic rabbit racing around declaring how 'late' or more in my case how behind I am with things, it is Easter and my dear Molly's last moments were spent chasing rabbits and bunnies. 

I feel I have let all of you wonderful people down but I do promise that things will get better but as of today I am not sure of the exact date especially with it being a short week.  I did however, want to show my respect and explain the delay and also my absence with the Return To Eden page.  I hope you can all understand and I can not thank you all enough for your support and time taken to leave me messages and be a part of my dream.

My daughter posted a pic on my wall on my personal page and she told me that this was what it is like in Kitty Heaven and that Molly is now with these little pretties - it really made me smile.  I do not know where the pic is originally from but I did want to share it with you all.

Much love and hugs

Easter, Birthday and WEBSITE - HOORAY....

Today I have spoken with the gorgeous Rachel who is helping me with the website & I asked her for a date of launch & she said just before Easter weekend which is fantastic because not only the website & chocolate but it is also the weekend of my birthday (sigh).

So it will be a time to celebrate with a gorgeous giveaway - first giveaway will be the tutu skirt in the profile pic and three other people will be chosen to pick a bracelet of their choice (photo coming - ah yes famous last words I hear you say). Details will be given at the time of the launch. Thank you all for your patience and encouraging words

Polka Dot Baby....

She wore an itsy, bitsy, teeny, weeny, RED polka dot bikini...

My family have been wondering what I am up to considering Summer is almost over here in New Zealand but I bought this fabric while away on my design course in January and it has been screaming out to be 'played' with.

I also had some vintage 'looking' lace that seemed to fit just perfectly in various ways.

This is not meant to be a practical swim suit but rather for the little girl who likes to look the beachy part while remaining cute and every piece in place ;-).  Cotton polka dot pants with lacey frills and a matching top that has a hint of the lace across the front and elegant halter ties.

I also made a cotton pettiskirt with folded layers of tulle (no scratchyness on legs - although this is the softest of tulle anyway) which can be worn alone or covered up by the spotted skirt with white cotton frill exposing only a kiss of tulle and giving plenty of bounce.

Then there is the little 100% cotton voile over top - very light and comfy but staying in theme with the vintage look lace on the ends of the sleeves.

I could go on and on about what I was thinking when making this and all of the different options, but I wont.  I will however go on to say that there will be some red and white striped leggings coming that would also look fantastic underneath either or both of the skirts, especially with the cooler weather about to hit us here downunder.

Paris Pink Ballerina Tutu Skirt Giveaway...

Only a couple of weeks until I will have my new, with shopping cart, website ready to go.  So to celebrate I am giving away on Facebook a gorgeous little ballerina princess tutu skirt which will be drawn on March 2nd at midnight (NZ time).

This little skirt was a sample I made up and at this stage will not be making again.

It has a 100% voile cotton underskirt that is attached, while the softest of soft tulle layers lays flat over the skirt.  The waistband is a soft pink satin that lays flat on the front and has all the gathers in the back.  The gathers are generous and offer lots of room to grow and years of wear (although little sister might want her turn).  Also a very twirly skirt that will be perfect for those little ballet lessons or those moments of whimsical fantasy that are indulged during childhood - a princess, a fairy, a ballerina, a Cinderella ball gown......

What makes it very special are the two pink sequined 'loops' which enable a ribbon to be threaded through and these can change as fancy is taken by the little princess who cherishes it.  There are also of course the Return To Eden label with the Tibetan Charm Butterfly.

It is modeled on a form that is size 3 but measured for a 4-5.  However the stretch is very generous and would fit for years beyond that.  If the little girl is smaller then a ribbon could be tied to draw it in.

It is so soft and pretty and could be worn for many special occasions.

If you would like to enter then simply suggest, like, tag and/or comment to let me know that you are interested.  Also if you suggest the Return To Eden page to a friend then tell them to mention that you referred them and then you will get an extra entry into the draw for each referral.

If you have any questions then feel free to email me - dreams@returntoeden.co.nz.

 Thank you to you all

What inspires me to create Return To Eden....

I have been working with the designers for my new website and with doing so, I made some time yesterday to sit and actually reach down inside of me for the words that convey what Return To Eden means to me and what I want to deliver.

It is true that with age comes wisdom.  The best piece of 'wisdom' I have gained in my years, has been to value the contribution I make to this world.  That can be in many different ways, whether it be through my children, my partner, my home, my career, with my friends, my relationships and interactions with others and most importantly what I do for me.  To best enable myself to do this, I am true to who I am and express this by imparting a piece of my heart and soul in to all that I do, the best that I can.

Return To Eden was not just an idea or a whimsical venture, it is something that I have always wanted to do since being a child, I simply was not aware of that desire.  However, once I was aware I felt it selfish to pursue my own dream as I felt so obligated to spend my time doing what I was conditioned to think I should be doing, but with the love and support of some very special people I felt encouraged to give birth to what was eagerly awaiting to break free from within me.

Every thing about Return To Eden has a meaning to me and represents something special about who I am, events in my life, people in my life and most importantly my core values.  I have found it difficult to express some of those things through words to share with you as it is more about feelings than words for me, but as I mentioned earlier, with working on my website I put pen to paper and just let it flow in its most simplistic form. 

I am very good at rambling and "over wording" things (when at Uni while others struggled to find words for essays, I struggled to minimise words for essays).  So I will get to the point and share with you the simplified version.

Each Return To Eden item and collection celebrates the innocence and beauty of childhood and what it represents.  A time when life is just beginning.  A time when love comes so easily and so much is expressed with a simple hug and a kiss.  A time filled with love and laughter in a world that is playful and exciting, fun and carefree.  A time when dreams are endless and will always come true.  A time of preparation to becoming a beautiful butterfly that flies through life gracefully and with freedom. ©Return To Eden

I also want to share a quote that means a lot to me and has also inspired me.

"How does one become a butterfly" she asked

"You must want to fly so much that you are willing to give up being a caterpillar" 

 ©Trina Paulus - Hope For The Flowers

Like I said this is a very simplistic view of what inspires me when creating Return To Eden and creating for Return To Eden.  There is so much more but hopefully there is something in what I have written for now that you can relate to.

This weeks giveaway... inspired by the Hollywood Red Carpet

Ok, if you read my earlier post here on the RTE blog you will know that I posted at 3am this morning.  By the time I actually got the post up it was 4am so it has been a very long and arduous day I must say as I was up again at 8am and busy doing everything else other than what I wanted to be doing.  Isn't that always the way - plans are made but emails and telephones always set out to ensure those plans are disrupted.  (Not to mention partners and children - bless them).

So just before the sun disappeared I managed to get some photos of the dress I am giving away on Facebook this week.  The photos are a major disappointment to say the least but they serve much like a space saver tyre - they will do the job in the meanwhile and get you from A to B.  I would like to say that I will upload some that are better and show the true glamour of the dress but my mother taught me not to lie so I wont.  All good intention will be there but once again the day to day grind will have it's way and sabotage all good intentions without a doubt.

Back to the dress - it is a different take on the Patience dress that you might have seen in an earlier blog.  This is a silver satin and I would say best fit a size 4 although it was intended for a size 5 however due to the lack of stretch in the fabric I am playing it safe with size 4 (or even 3 just to save face).  Perhaps we can think of it like a new school uniform that one is to "grow in to" ;-).

I apologise for my chaoticness (whoops spell check has picked up that word so as I thought, it is not actually a word but we shall ignore that today) but I am busy with the new website and trying to sort stock for it as well as the day to day orders that come in.  Things will adjust very soon *crosses fingers*.

So how have you all been anyway......????

3am in the Morning, red carpet and butterfly cupcakes (so tired I am not even sure this post makes sense)

It is 3am on Wednesday morning as I am writing this. 

Just after midnight I decided to forgo sleep and make something different from what I already had ready to go for the Win a Treasure Wednesday (or is it Wednesday Win a Treasure?? - a little on the tired side).

My darling fiancee has been away a lot over the past week so while he is gone I get to indulge in trash tv and watch E Channel while I sew on beads or make flowers etc.  I have watched hours and hours of red carpet looks for all of the different Hollywood award ceremonies being held of late.  While watching I wanted to make something inspired by what I was seeing.  However, I gave in to the pressure of time constraints and decided to giveaway something that was more of a sample piece rather than something I loved.  Nope - not good enough to do that in my world and it bugged me so much I have since made something that is a bit more "red carpet" as I had visioned and desired.

I don't yet have photos and probably wont have any until approximately mid day Wednesday (NZ time).  Actually that is only 9 hours away, the 8 sleep rule will not be happening tonight that's for sure (I hear those of you with young children saying "when does it ever!!").

But rest assured there will be something to giveaway - it is simple but stylish and a little bit shiny.  In the meanwhile I have attached a picture of something quite gorgeous - totally irrelevant but hey I should be dreaming right now and I think these butterfly cupcakes in butterfly wrappers would make quite a nice dream......

Reminded of the songs I gave my daughters...

 I have just read a post by one of the RTE "likers" from Facebook - Beverly, and how she describes her little girl as a china doll with a heartbeat and she also told me that she is "just an angel from heaven".  Her beautiful comments reminded me of my own two girls.

I have 5 children (almost all grown up) and the two youngest are daughters - Hannah (17) and Frankie (15).  I also have three stunning boys (all young men now, but I will write on them another time) however, after three boys I must admit it was so lovely to have a beautiful little girl to hold in my arms and admire all her "pinkness and flowers".

So I chose her a song that I would play, and play, and play to her over, and over, and over again - that song was by Prince and is called "The Most Beautiful Girl In The World".

Then along came her little sister Frankie and again I chose her a song (never with effort, they just kind of fell into place for each of them).  Frankie's song is by Eternal and is called "Angel of Mine".

I wish I had thought of doing this when I had my boys as it means a lot to the girls to have these special songs that are "theirs" and from their mama.  Although, the boys would have only appreciated something from Michael Jackson and I'm not too sure Thriller would have quite had the same meaning.... :-).  But like I said, it is something that the girls cherish and so when I have friends with a new baby, I often encourage them to do the same so I thought I might share it with you all, also.

I have added the links for the songs I gave my girls in case you wanted to hear them - I hope that you enjoy them **wipes tears from eyes**

Eternal - Angel of Mine
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ts1qQ8jN8o0

Prince - The Most Beautiful Girl in the World
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H8noCrJvvvA&feature=related

It has been far too long.... so to make up here is a giveaway!

I am not really blog savvy so I tend to stick to my facebook page but that will change with new website that is on its way.

I have just listed a giveaway on facebook.  If you are a "liker" of the Return To Eden page then all you have to do is suggest the page to friends and leave a comment that you have done so and then you are in the draw for this darling little pettiskirt.  It is a new item that will be on offer on the new up and coming website. 

The size and details are on the facebook page.  If you are not on facebook then become a follower here on the blog (leave me a comment) and you too can go into the draw.