It has been a busy week since launching the new Mrs Walsh web site. I have been doing my best to get some Christmas shopping done although the Bondi Junction Westfield car park is trying to work against me on this. I got in to the car park and joined a twenty-minute conga line though the bowels of the car park and ironically ended up on the brown level.

I didn’t even know there was a brown level, as I had never gone that far down before. After an hour of shopping I went back to level brown and then was stuck in gridlock with some very angry people for the next 20 minutes before seeing the light! With this in mind I have blogged on a couple of online gift options for family you won’t see on the day but may wish to send a gift too. It’s all about fruit cake and wine as they just scream ‘Merry Christmas!’

By ordering an online delivery of food and vino that can be enjoyed over the festivities you will no doubt be voted favourite family member even in your absence. We had a staff meeting here at the offices of Mrs Walsh (which was kind of odd since it's just me) and decided as as a big fat Merry Christmas to you from all of us (again just me) that all items in the baby wear section of the online store will be reduced to $10.00 for Christmas.

Maintenance is another important festive season issue. It’s all about a lash, a blow dry and unchipped nail. My latest find is ‘Love those lashes’. Waking up with luxurious lashes minus the panda eyes is even more fabulous than remembering to have a Berocca and a Panadol before bed at this crazy time of year.

Finding a good Santa for the Christmas photo can be as tricky as finding a carni who still has all his own teeth. Bad Santa's seem to be in good supply but the really old well rounded actual Santa looking guys are as rare as parking spaces at this time of year.

Merry Christmas, avoid the brown level and may the good Santa be with you!

Mrs Walsh x

PS:

Burrawang Village Fruit Cakes It must be the German in me but if there is one thing I really look forward to at Christmas aside from really expensive gifts, it’s fruitcake. The problem, I find is in that I grew up with a mother who made the most divine fruitcake. As a result I find most commercial brands as appealing as a warm glass of Chardonnay.

When I came across Burrawang Village it was like a trip back to my childhood.

The last time I had a set of eye lash extensions I walked out of my local salon looking like Ru Paul and found that after several days wear they took on lives of there own, eventually dropping out faster than a teenage school leaver. The ‘love those lashes experience was the complete opposite and three weeks on they are still looking lashtastic. Why love those lashes?

• It’s like an eyelash coiffure leaving no need for mascara. Next time you are out at the movies watching a tear jerker you can cry safe in the knowledge there will be no tell tale panda eyes on the way out.

When you are feeling like an extra from Lord of the rings and don’t want to go all Barbra Cartland with the make up, the Estee Lauder eye mask is the ten minute miracle. It will make that two piece matching luggage set beneath your eyes disappear quicker than you can say ‘Late night’

Apply the two pre-moistened, pads by placing under your eyes and ten minute later the anti-stress hydrating ingredients will have you back to showroom condition.

When you have had a night out your hair needs a recovery party too!

Over the Christmas party period my hair usually ends up blow dried, GHD curled, straightened, sprayed, texturised and tortured in to all manner of party princess, perfect style.

I need a recovery plan so that I don’t end up with as much hair as a rug less Bert Newton by the end of December. The Walla luminous mask is like a Berocca for your hair after a big night out.

The system professional luminous booster mask applied the morning after a night out is as crucial to my post party game plan as a double espresso with a long black chaser.. so

On the new and improved site I will be plating up my recipes, talking travel, test driving new products, and discussing one of my favorite topics wine.
I love a drop of vino but have found that wine tasting notes are about as easy to understand as Bert Newton’s Hair. I have taken a more ‘simpleton’ approach to wine reviewing and set more of a tone for the drop in question rather than breaking down the actual elements of the wine. Instead of writing a crisp dry review that comes from a place of knowledge I have taken a more fruity approach that comes from being highly opinionated.  I hope to coax you away from the beige cardigan of wine that is Sauvignon Blanc and in to the power suit that is Chardonnay.

I will be giving advice on all things domestic in ‘The modern Guide to Housewifery’. It will aim to give the highly sought after guidance needed by any modern woman who doesn’t have time to watch Dr Phil. Since the GFC the modern housewife has had to arm herself with new and innovative ways to keep a ship shape home whilst maintaining blow dried hair and a freshly painted nail.

With the festive season well and truly on top of us I have been seeking out cool products to feature in  ‘What’s hot’. I think you can never spend too much time talking about your hair, just ask any member of my family and a good beauty product is as essential as trans fats to a hangover at this manic time of the year.

Finding the right idea for a Christmas card year after year can be tricky. Last year I made my children Jesus and Joseph and our cat Linda was the little Lord baby Jesus. This year I was thinking maybe a little Santa suit on Linda but where to find such a suit? I discovered the mother load of cat sized outfits when picking up my daughter from a party at Build-a-bear! www.buildabear.com.au

All the dress ups for teddies are roughly cat size and just when I thought I couldn’t top last years nativity scene card, I found this terrific Christmas tree out fit which I think Linda is simply thrilled with.

I hope you enjoy the maiden voyage of the Mrs Walsh website.

Mrs Walsh x

Werribee Mansion is by far one of my favorite weekend destinations. If you are lucky enough to live in Melbourne it is a quick 30-minute drive from town and if you live else where around the country it’s a short 25-minute ride by car from Melbourne airport.

I’ve taken my children there several times now as we never get tired of the fabulously posh surrounds, the luxurious accommodation, and the little slice of Africa right next door otherwise know as Werribee open range Zoo.

We always time our flight to get in to Melbourne by 10 am on a Saturday morning which gives us plenty of time to get to the Mansion hotel, deposit our bags, pop on our pith helmets and head out on Safari at the Werribee open range zoo. With over 225 hectares of wide-open Savannah it’s like being in Africa without the 18 hours of flying, vaccinations and a chorus of my children’s favorite song ‘Are we there yet?’