On being a mum and business owner from the northern beaches.

I was asked the other day what it is like to run a store. And how do I manage it with being a mum as well. If it were a recipe my answer would be "hard work with a dash of crazy". There are only so many hours in the day and yet I am run off my feet for most of them. But I do what I love so that makes it so much easier.

In the morning I drop off my two boys at school and pray that I have packed them everything they need. Food being the biggie! And any notes or projects that might need to be handed in. My boys know by now not to tell me on the day of a concert "But Mum, I need a spaceman costume at 9am this morning!". Or they will end up wrapped head to toe in Silver Foil with a cardboard box over their head. Eyes cut out perhaps and a coathanger shoved into the top for an aerial. I may be an artist but I am not a genius at that time of the morning!

After dropping them off, I head for coffee. Some people stop for petrol, I stop to fill myself up on coffee and then drive the rest of the way to work going over what I need to do that day. When I arrive at the shop I start to check emails and orders that have come in overnight. And which orders are going out that day. Then...more coffee.

My day is then a blur of activity until I finish. Ordering supplies, mailing off orders, serving customers who come in and updating my website (which is being totally revamped at the moment). Stay tuned for new developments on that front! Or I change the front window display depending on my latest artwork, season or special occasion. At the moment I have an Easter display which is full of colour and tends to attract a bit of attention from the traffic on the Pacific Highway.

My finishing time varies depending on how much work is to be done. At times I never know what time that will be. Thankfully my husband will sometimes bring the boys in and he'll help me get my last orders ready. And we'll duck out for dinner afterwards.

Last night the weather was so gorgeous and balmy that we decided to eat dinner outdoors. We bought seafood from Barrenjoey House and then enjoyed it with a glass of wine while watching the sun go down over Pittwater. With the warmer beach weather coming to an end, we thought we'd take advantage of the last few chances to enjoy dinner by the sea.

Barrenjoey House, Pittwater

(The Prawn Burgers are a "must try")

One of the best things about living on the Northern Beaches is being able to do this whenever the weather is great. With daylight savings there is even time for a swim. The Northern Beaches even inspired one of my artworks.


The funny thing is that people who live on the Northern Beaches like to keep these "secrets" to themselves! So I may get in trouble for letting the cat out of the bag, so to speak. However, I love where I live so much that I can't help but sharing. The Northern Beaches inspires me and is the perfect remedy for stress. Driving to work in the morning is breathing in and driving home to the beaches is like exhaling. But "Sshhh". (Keep it to yourself!)