Interviews

The Next 21 Days – Days 19-21

by Chavah Kinloch on April 6, 2011

Loving my hubby’s old GI Joe top.

Oh hell, stuff it. I’ve been a total FAIL at keeping up with my 21 days posts and I’ve only got three days left to write about. It’s not because I’ve been slacking, I promise I haven’t, I just have a very busy schedule at present… although yesterday and today I’ve spent more time online than I have the entire month.

So I’m just going to finish off these final three days in one pop. One post, one ending. I’d like to consider it a happy one.

Over the past *ahem* 21 days (give or take 1o) I lost three and a half inches from my waist (9.5cm) but only 2 cm from my hips. There are an extra 3 cm gone from my arms, 4cms from my calves & 6cm from my thighs. I have no idea if I lost any weight because I still haven’t replaced the battery in my scales.  Either way, it doesn’t really matter to me. It’s been a welcomed relief to stay away from the scales.

I officially dropped that extra size I’d been trying to move and that now totals 5 dress sizes gone. I still have three more to go. I have just one more size to drop before I can fit pretty much everything in my wardrobe. There are a few smaller sizes here and there but overall most things will fit. I need to drop that size because then I won’t have to buy anything for winter hehe. I am majorly lacking in bottoms. Who know’s, maybe if I drop that extra size my Nana will stop calling me fat every time I see her. In the past, oh say 15 years, I have only heard her say “Missy, you skinny!” once when I went on holiday to attend one of my BFF’s wedding . In all my othert visits it’s been “Chabbah, you too fat.” Gotta love her honesty.

My arms feel solid and fabulous but they look saggy and wrinkled. I’m happy to accept that this is my fate. There’s not much I can do about that without some type of surgery which I’m not about to have. My body has been through a lot in it’s short years and I know inside that they’ve come a long way. I’ll just keep going till they look as good as they feel. Some day! Just as long as I keep working at it.

What has happened though, over this part of the journey, is body acceptance. I’m actually beginning to love my body, even with all it’s faults. I’ve done amazing things with it, birthed giant babies, recovered from an inability to even sit/stand/walk without crying from that damage that occurred, gained so much muscle I’ve seen my entire body morph.

More than body acceptance I’ve managed to accept the way I choose to live. I’ve had a chance to think about everything that has happened since I gained the weight and realised that throughout all of that I’ve helped my family a lot. I’ve done a lot for myself while juggling their needs. Battled extremely bad lows while holding everything together. It’s meant that sometimes I’ve turned into a recluse when I’m working but I actually really enjoy that part of it. I have come to accept that I’m not the Mum that makes it to every school activity, honestly just because I don’t want to and I’m ok with that. I get more than enough quality time with my kids. I’ve come to understand that just because I do it all from home, doesn’t mean I’m not doing anything so it’s ridiculous to live up to expectations that I’ll make it to every event during the day when you would never expect it from someone that works in an office; and I think I’m going to start saying that. I work damn hard and am tired of feeling belittled because I don’t fit into peoples little boxes.

I simplified everything to lose weight but it did a lot more than that for me. With the help of my extremely dedicated husband we’ve got a system that works well for us. I found my drive for success that had slipped away to allow me to exist in mediocrity and because of that drive in a few short weeks we have come so far both physically and financially. Sacrifices have paid off (that was my FB status the pother day).

I haven’t reached the end of my journey, that’s still a long way off but for now I am satisfied. I’ll update you again sometime soon, not sure when but it’ll come. For now I just want to say thanks for being there and letting me rant, share my small victories and being compassionate and understanding. For some reason people like you are disappearing from our world.

Until next time, keep going and remember:


Yes you are!

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Six Things I’m Loving Today

by Chavah Kinloch on December 22, 2010

I love this photo. It’s of my nephew Justus with my Nana/his Great-Grandma. She’s been in hospital recently, my brother snapped this shot of them on one of their visits with her. Oh my gosh, it makes my heart melt. It reminds me of a shot I have of my daughter and her, taken on one of our trips home. She’s got the same air of happiness about her. Having her great-grandchildren around never fails to make her smile. We’re at 19 (please let that be right, sorry if I missed anyone) and counting now. 15 boys, 4 girls. If it were judged on the stats in my family, there’d be no such thing as a man drought in the future hehe.

This insanely awesome wall decal is something I’m definitely purchasing in the near future for my daughters bedroom. I’m hoping we get the last coat of paint on Boston’s room during the upcoming holiday’s and then we can move him in! It’s not completely finished, but it’ll do for now until I source the rest of the accessories for his room. After that, next stop – daughter’s room. The decal is created by talented designer David Bray.

Buy It – $95

Design your own Jonathan Adler rug! If you haven’t heard of this yet, you can get excited now because I’ve told you. I bet you end up wasting time designing your own rugs and cushions because of this post. The price is out of my league right now but hey, a girl can dream.

Design it. US $720-$3240

The Hang It All. I have wanted this coat rack for little Bossman’s room for who can even remember how long. It works with the dramatic colourful theme that I’m using. Plus, anyone who has kids can tell you that hats, jackets and bags galore are just part of the package with those little people. You can never have enough storage.

Buy It: $434.44 (Thanks Lisa for the link)

Decoded! Jay Z’s memoir Decoded, hit the shelves (and estores) November 16th. The cover features one of Andy Warhol’s Rorschach images and is a fully illustrated. It’s a narrative documenting the behind the scenes intimacies and first-hand accounts of the highly successful multi-platinum rapper’s most famous raps. If you’re a hip hop fan like me, this is likely to make a great read.

Buy It: $16-$45

Image source

Thunder and lightning! We’ve had a little bit of thunder today and a short period of heavy rain. These are some of my favourite days. As much as I like to get out and play in the sun, having a day where it’s too wet and scary outside to do anything means I get to just chill out at home. With the kids being on holiday, we’re spending our day watching Disney movies and doing word finds and crosswords. Perfection.

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Woo Hoo! I’m Not Going to Be the Next Slick Rick

by Chavah Kinloch on December 20, 2010

-Slick Rick-

Invercargill really needs to stop trying to hurt me. Either that or I need to move. :(

I lurrrrve me some summer in vegas but summer in the gill does not love me back.

Last weekend I was stuck sitting with a bag of frozen vegetables on my face and this weekend I was stuck at the hospital trying to figure out what was wrong with my eye. I was pretty sure it was just out of control hay fever. I do have drugs for it, I’ve tried almost every available brand and had many prescribed but nothing so far has been able to calm my symptoms enough to make me function normally. It’s exhausting.

Late Sunday morning I couldn’t get my eye to stop stinging so I decided to check it out in the mirror. It was bloodshot, constantly weeping and felt like I had a giant chunk of something stuck in it. When I’d touch my eyelid the water would bubble on my eye and the left side of my face had puffed up, it was really stinging. Earlier in the week I’d woken up and it had taken me 10 minutes to get my vision back, everything was completely blurry. I hate going to the doctor but I figured it was my eye. I don’t really want to risk damaging my eye, right? So off we went.

The nurse I got for the first examination was a lot of fun. I felt ridiculous because I knew deep down, it really was just conjunctivitis due to my allergies but it was so sore, so we joked about that for a little bit. Then she got me to do an eye test where I found out two strange things. 1) I might need to look into getting glasses because for the first time in my life, it was hard to see most of the rows 2) My ugly, swollen eye could see far more than my perfectly functioning eye.

Weird much?

Eventually (hours later) I got called in to see the doctor. By then I’d sat in the air conditioning for so long my eye had calmed down a lot. Right before I went in though, I had some prickling pains start up again, so at least I didn’t feel like a total hypochondriac. It was all rather interesting. These processes always are. I’m one that likes to understand everything going on around me, I read all the posters that are up on the walls, listen to what the diagnosis could be and ask questions when they use words I don’t understand. It makes it easier to forget about the pain.

He asked me about the medication I was using and said I was on the right track, so at least I’m not completely incompetent. Always good to know! The very next thing he did was put something in my eye, some type of eye drop. Let me tell you, I need to get my hands on some of that stuff because unlike my eye drops, this one immediately calmed the symptoms and lasted until TODAY. I only had to have my medication at noon today! Insane. The relief is amazing.

We did a lot of different tests; I had to put my face in some machine a few times, I had to follow his fingers around the room, he put dye in my eye and checked for any tears, then he used some hammer like device to poke my eyeballs. He told me my tears would come out orange for the next few hours. My eye became stained with orange but my tears actually came out neon yellow. It was all very fascinating for this little geek. He couldn’t figure out what was making me have such a bad reaction but he said that I was probably right. Something in Invercargill was doing it because it was allergic conjunctivitis. He sent me off with a new prescription and a smile and that was that.

I hope your Sunday was just as exciting as mine lol.

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Interview with Rebecca Rabson of SmartSeat

by Chavah Kinloch on November 14, 2010

Let me introduce you to Rebecca Rabson, creator of the Smart Seat. Rebecca has created a great family friendly product, designed to make meal clean up times much simpler. What is a smart seat? It’s a waterproof, stain resistant, dining chair seat cover. I need about 10! You should see the state of my dining chairs. I’m a big believer in buying what you love, so that’s what I do when it comes to furniture. The problem is…I’m in those beginning years with a young family and with them comes a lot of spilled drinks and dropped food which means my dining chairs never had a chance to stay unstained. Rebecca gives us some insight on what it’s like to develop a product and deal with the day to day activities in her life.  Find Smart Seat Chair Covers on Facebook.

What inspired you to create Smart Seat?

We bought our first nice dining room set a couple of years ago. I wanted to be able to eat meals together as a family at our new table, but really didn’t want my boys to destroy the chairs. They are great kids, but at 3 and 6 (at the time) they were just messy, messy, messy. I looked for something that might work, but couldn’t find anything on the market that I liked. Plastic or vinyl covers didn’t look great and were quite uncomfortable to sit on. Fabric seat covers were ruffly and decorative, and full slipcovers completely changed the look of my chair, neither of which I liked. I wanted something that would provide complete protection against stains and spills (like a vinyl cover), but that also would feel nice, look attractive and tailored, and complement my decor (not change it entirely). Frustrated by the lack of options, I designed my own chair cover. My design worked so well that my husband encouraged me to try to sell it. Fast forward a bit and here I am with the SmartSeat Chair Protector — a waterproof, stain resistant, and machine washable fabric cover for upholstered dining room and kitchen chairs.

What was the process like of going from a person with a great idea to a person owning a company selling that product?

Exciting and overwhelming at the same time. I’m a stay-at-home mom and don’t have help during the day. Finding the time to work in between all of the things that I do for my boys can be challenging. But I think that I have a great product, and the positive feedback that I have received so far keeps me going.

What, in your mind is the most important thing you have learnt about starting a business?


You have to believe in your product. I don’t think that I could really push myself to do what needs to be done if I didn’t really think that the SmartSeat Chair Protector was a great concept. Everything else you can learn. I knew nothing about manufacturing, textiles, or marketing before I started this company. The learning curve has been very steep. But if you really believe in your product, you find a way to learn what you need to know to make things happen. And with a little luck thrown in, you end up with a great business venture.

What time does your day usually start and finish?

My day started early, about 5:45. I have my coffee, check emails and try to get the lay of the land in 15 minutes or less. Then it is off to get the boys ready for school. My day ends whenever I finish in the evenings, usually around 9:30. I’m definitely an early to bed, early to rise person.

What type of work do you do during a regular day?

Whatever needs to be done! We are marketing our product with no marketing budget, so a huge amount of my time is spent contacting mommy bloggers and other individuals with websites who might be willing to review or mention my product. SEO/social networking has been our primary means of spreading the word about the SmartSeat Chair Protector. Then, of course, there is the day-to-day management associated with having a product manufactured. I need to make sure that our factory has all of the necessary materials to produce the SmartSeat Chair Protector and, if not, order supplies. I am also customer service and order fulfillment, so on any given day I might be making several trips to the post office!

Everyone needs smart seat covers on their furniture because…..

It minimizes your clean up time, reduces the stress of messy meals and is the best way to protect your upholstered dining room and kitchen chairs from stains, spills, and everyday wear and tear!

On any given day you can find me…

In front of the computer working, with my boys, or exercising.

My secret indulgence is…

Pilates (I’ve never felt better in my whole life).

Any goals for the future?

To continue to live my life the way that I am — being very involved raising my kids and doing something for myself that I enjoy. If we are lucky enough to grow this business, that would be great, but I have no expectations for the future. I just take it one day at a time.

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Interview with Belinda Simon of Pregoli

by Chavah Kinloch on October 24, 2010

Ever been pregnant and not felt like the most attractive self you can be? I think most women could relate to this. That’s why I I love what Belinda Simon(with a ^ over the o that I can’t figure out how to do) has created over at her boutique online store, Pregoli. They offer stunning maternity lingerie, stylish maternity clothing, children’s clothing, furniture and accessories. Each and every item in Pregoli’s range has been selected, tried and tested by experienced mothers and their babies.

When I jump on your website the first thing that crosses my mind is how sexy the pregnant women look and how during my pregnancies I really wanted to feel good about myself but had no idea where to shop. I really think you’ve hit to nail on the head with your marketing. Was that a big inspiration behind your company’s brand?

Definitely, when I was pregnant I wanted to continue dressing as I liked, and to celebrate my bump and to look and feel great. I found a lot of black.. And lot of tops and dresses that were what we call “tent” style, not flattering at all – especially when you’ve had the baby and are feeding, or in the transition stage. We wanted to show that pregnant women can look and feel sexy and gorgeous – and that they deserve too!

What time does your day usually start and finish?

Each day is so different! Anywhere from 5am-2am.. Depending on kids and workload.

Most of your time is spent…

Adding more things to my to-do-list

Do you have a favourite item in your store?

Oh so many! I can honestly say that I’d wear or use everything we sell. This week I’m loving the Huckleberry Lane PJ’s for kids – if only they made adult sizes

Do you have your eye on any upcoming designers?

Yes, always keeping an eye out

People should shop at Pregoli…

Because we have the best quality products at the best prices. Fantastic service, fast delivery & you can shop in the comfort of your own home.

Your major motivation in life?

I have goals set which I work towards, in all different areas – the following answer is near the top of the list!

If you were responsibility free for a weekend what would you do?

FIJI – drinking cocktails by the pool.

The craziest thing you’ve ever done…

Launch an online store while 6 months pregnant with a 14 month old son.. :)

When I want to relax I…

Have a bath, glass of wine and read a book!

I am absolutely addicted to…

Goody goody gum drop ice cream actually any ice cream. I’m trying to cut back!

In my handbag you will find…

Wallet, eight hour cream, pens, business cards, flyers, iphone, snacks for kids, matchbox cars, sunnies, stickers my b.box and the odd raisin.

Dinner tonight is…

I’m trying to convince my husband to take me out – if I don’t succeed it will be chicken pasta.

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Interview with Melissa Dion of Eco-Lissa

Let me introduce you to Melissa Dion. Melissa’s concern for the environment and her love for fashion have seen her create the fashionable eco-friendly store Eco-Lissa. Eco-Lissa offer vegan women’s clothing and accessories, specialising in dresses and denim. I’ve looked at everything in the store and I want it all! I think Melissa and I [...]

Interview and Giveaway with Andrea Winarski of Grab a Scab

Andrew Winarski has developed some of the handiest patches for kids clothing, any parent could imagine.  She’s launched a very innovative product called Grab a Scab. When I saw Andrea’s creations, I really was impressed. You can use Grab a Scab’s to patch up those torn jeans (That’s what I’m using mine for) or to [...]

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