It's all about the Mumma's
It’s all about the mumma’s!
And whilst every day should be a celebration of motherhood - the craziness, the unrelenting moments, the calm, the chaos, the bond, the love, the village it takes and all the beautiful moments in between - we're taking a special moment to shine a light on all the magic that mum's are!
For Mother's Day this year, we sat down with our Founders, Rose & Ness and a handful of our most inspiring mumma’s in our mumma community whom we adore - discussing motherhood, the work juggle, great learnings and the tools they try to implement to ensure they stay true to them amongst the wild and wonderful moments of being a mum.
Vanessa Cave, Co-Founder of Nine Lives Bazaar
Family to her is husband Stein, son Oscar & dog Ru.
Home is Tweed Heads, Northern NSW.
You're a mother, a co-founder, a friend, a wife...and with that, life can get a little wild right?! What are some self care practices that you try to incorporate in your life to try and balance it all and take care of you?
"My husband and I have a bit of a joke when I tell him I'm washing my hair. He says 'ok darling go and do some self care.' It's crazy, but as a parent that's legit what classifies as a little bit of self lovin’ these days. Sometimes, if i'm feeling like really indulging i'll shave my legs, exfoliate and even put on a little face mask haha the simple things! No really my go-to self care is to have a few drinks and catch up with my friends. Nothing revitalises me more than a good old banter with my nearest and dearest."
What's your all-time favourite part about being a mum?
"Watching Oscar's little face brighten up in play. In those moments all the frustration I get from his two year old tanties is washed away. I am in awe watching him grow and develop into a little person, and am constantly blown away that once he was just cells forming in my body."
What have been some of the greatest learnings from your journey into motherhood?
"To be content with small wins - whether it’s doing a load of washing, cleaning one room, doing an op shop run, online ordering the groceries for the week, Oscar eating his whole dinner, having 10 minutes of me time. If i've achieved at least something from start to finish I feel at least a little bit accomplished. From someone who lives quite a frantic life and likes to tick a lot off in a day, I have had to accept that baby steps are still steps after all."
And what are you doing to celebrate you this Mother's Day?
"My hubby is away on holidays, so hoping Oski has organised something lovely for me all on his own haha!" 
Rose Madden, Co-Founder of Nine Lives Bazaar
Family to her is husband Ryan, two daughters Bella Luna & Lola Valentine & dog Sugar.
Home is Tweed Heads, Northern NSW.
You're a mother, a co-founder, a friend, a partner...and with that, life can get a little wild right? What are some self care practices that you try to incorporate in your life to balance it all and take care of you?
"Self care is a realm I am still learning to navigate! One of the most important things for me, especially when I feel overwhelmed with life, is to do something that makes me feel like 'me' again. This includes slow weekends away camping in our 1970s caravan, getting lost in a good book (I'm all about audiobooks these days - nothing like cleaning the house, doing the washing, all the while ignoring your kids and listening to a book!) I also love spending time with my girlfriends, whether it's a weekend away or just a night out. I also find wine time and solo baths can help a lot!"
"In terms of balance, I work a four day week to ensure I have Fridays off to spend with my girls and my mama tribe. Between us we have pumped out a rather large number of kids over the last four years, so we created a Facebook page as a place to organise weekly catch ups (my medicine!) ... but the page itself has kinda morphed into a beautiful big forum (with over 40 mums on it now!) where we discuss everything from sleep training, regressions, weaning, dinner recipes, hand me downs, best brands/must have items and meal trains for the newer mamas. It's a pretty magical little hub we have created."
What's your all-time favourite part about being a mum?
"Seeing the centre of your universe change right before your eyes. It's really like my heart has been ripped from my chest, and now wanders around the house on tiny gorgeous little pairs of feet. It's the most beautiful thing, learning to love like that. I adore watching my girls as they grow and evolve. I'm completely obsessed with them (when they are happy little beings, that is!)"
What have been some of the greatest learnings from your journey into motherhood?
"How to have patience! That the thing about it taking a village to raise a child is insanely true - I couldn't do it without my fellow mamas. That being a mum is hard work. It's unrelenting. At times it can be mad, chaotic, frustrating and very intense. But, in between all that, being a mum is the sweetest, most rewarding and purely spectacular journey you can embark upon. It's beautiful chaos."
What are you doing to celebrate you this Mother's Day?
"I'll let my girls (and husband) decide that for me!"
Sharnee Thorpe, Creative Director of Wandering Folk and Nine Lives Bazaar's first ever print designer.
Family to her is her husband Arthur and daughter Velvet.
Home is Hastings Point, Northern NSW.
You're a mother, a business owner, a friend, a wife...and with that, life can get a little wild right?! What are some self care practices that you try to incorporate in your life to balance it all and take care of you?
"Yes life is a bit of a mad rush trying to do all the things. I love yoga and try to get to a class once or twice a week to get the balance back, it’s great for grounding me when my mind is always racing!"
What have been some of the greatest learnings from your journey into motherhood?
"Our children are our greatest teachers and our biggest challenges, I see so much of myself in Velvet, the good and the bad. It makes me reflect a lot on my own behaviour and try to be a better person as they are just a little mirror of how you act. That time is so precious, and to take more time for myself so I can be a better mum (I don’t know what I did with all my spare time before I had kids ha!) Also, being a mum is one of the hardest jobs I’ve ever done, stay at home mums are saints in my eyes."
What's your all-time favourite part about being a mum?
"Seeing the world through her eyes, the simple little things are amazing to them. Taking Velli on an adventure is so much fun, she is fascinated with birds and kangaroos, her excitement is contagious."
Madeleine Lee - Designer & Creative Director of Oak Meadow.
Family to her is husband Sam and her two children, Oakie and Soli.
Home is Byron Bay, NSW.
You're a mother, a business owner, a friend, a wife...and with that, life can get a little wild right? What are some self care practices that you try to incorporate in your life to balance it all and take care of you?
"Gosh, honestly I need to take care of myself maybe a little more now that I think about this question haha. I think as mothers, we can all relate to putting ourselves last, our children always come first. Over time, I have learnt to balance myself more, somedays I take off to pilates but I also find a lot of my passion and self practices come from design and also my friends. I am Leo, I love being social- my weekend time really is my self care.. From camping and surfing with the family to catching up with my friends and having a nice margarita in my favourite frock…. I love a good time and always bringing some sort of vibe to the day."
What's your all-time favourite part about being a mum?
"Love! "
What have been some of the greatest learnings from your journey into motherhood?
"Strength and balance."
What are you doing to celebrate you this Mother's Day?
"Sunrise coffees and a beautiful day down the beach, normally Sam makes something with the kids like a painted card or a cute clay mug that the kids paint…"
Jaz Pulbrook & Alana Bayley, Co-Founder's of Banabae
For Jaz - family is her partner Heinz, and two kids, Mimi and Bobby.
Home is Thirroul Escarpment, on the Coal Coast in NSW.
For Alana - Family is her partner Nath, and their two kids, Billy and Lola.
Home is seaside Kurnell, Sydney. NSW.
You're a mother, a co-founder, a friend, a partner...and with that, life can get a little wild right? What are some self care practices that you try to incorporate in your life to balance it all and take care of you?
ALANA: "Hmmm that’s a tough one when you have young kids and a business. It's all a bit of a wobbly juggle. When you work from home the flexibility can be amazing but it also means the line between work and home life is very blurred….and time for yourself almost non-existent. For ages, I always counted working on Banabae as my ‘me time’ because the creative side of running a business always filled my cup. As we grow and things get busier and more stressful I’m realising that I need to structure things a little more. Block out time to be fully present with my kids rather than half with them /half answering emails, half updating the website!"
JAZ: "I'll be absolutely honest...at the moment, the hustle and bustle does not allow for a lot of self care in my day to day, i'm lucky to get a shower... but gee that's a treat and a half when it happens :) Heinz works away overseas for long periods, and he is away at the moment, so during this time I appreciate the little moments, like the morning coffees in a beautiful mug, stretching on the rug whilst being used as a climbing gym for a 9 month old, glancing out at the tree top view between page turns of Mimi's favourite book on the balcony. Spending time with my Mum keeps me true to myself, she puts it all in perspective. The energy we put out is the energy that will be returned, I truly believe in the power of positivity because of her." 
What's your absolute favourite part about being a mum?
ALANA: "Gosh – So many things and it changes all the time! Right at this moment I’d have to say watching my kids love each other! It makes my heart explode. They run to greet each other every morning and hug/tackle and laugh together. Definitely best buds for life."
JAZ: "The honest uninhibited conversations with my toddler, Mimi.Watching Bobby explore and play, finding joy in the tiniest of details and the biggest of spinning wheels. But above all, the laughs. There is so much joy in every moment with kids in your life."
Talk us through what you're doing for you this Mother's Day & how are you celebrating you?
ALANA: "My legend of a mum will be away this year but we decided that we will sneak out to a kid free lunch a week or two later with my sis and sis in law! Best idea ever! On the day – I’ll most likely enjoy a yummy breakfast with Nath and the kids then have my lovely mother in law over for lunch."
JAZ: "We will take a walk in the bush to start the day then host a long breakfast on the balcony for my Mum and Sister and the family. Delicious food outside with the family to warm the soul."
Montana Lower, Creative Director of Murals For Change & Bluem Skincare
Family is her partner Tom, and baby girl Blue.
Home is their home on wheels called 'Mooncake'.
You're a mother, a business owner, an artist, an engineer, a friend, a partner...and with that, life can get a little wild right?! What are some self care practices that you try to incorporate in your life to balance it all and take care of you?
"I love to take my Bluem [skincare] into nature and pamper myself immersed in the elements.. I developed the entire range to be as close to nature as possible while also being highly potent and effective. Combined with meditation, journalling, scribbling artworks.. bonus points for not taking a phone!" 
What's your all-time favourite part about being a mum?
"Being able to be a kid every day."
Ultimate ultimate mama hacks?
My partner and I raised our baby pretty much in the bush by ourselves, without any support or advice. Up until she was a year old we would joke about 'integrative plant therapy' ... where anytime she was losing it we essentially would just take her outside or get her to stroke a leaf to calm her down. it literally never failed. Now I try to do the same thing for myself. Also, boob is life.
What have been some of the greatest learnings from your journey into motherhood?
"To surrender, go slower, base success off completely different things to what I used to, and that love is always the answer..."
What are you doing to celebrate you this Mother's Day?
"Mother’s day actually falls around mine and my best friend's birthdays! We had babies at the same time and last year were pretty immersed in it all.. so this year we're taking our families on a tropical holiday where I suspect we will be doing a lot of sun-baking.. in silence.. while our men look after our babies and we have a well deserved cocktail haha."
This incredible woman and her non for profile Murals For Change will be donating $5000 to Camden women’s shelter off the back of their ‘Grow Together’ project, which will provide women and children affected by bushfires and domestic violence a safe place to call home.
