Author: Judy

Fun mamma S.A. was created in 2012 by Mamma Bear, Judy MacGregor.as a Facebook community page to educate, encourage and inspire parents.
Posted in Brands we love

Spoilingtons pet presents making your pet’s festive wish list come true

Posted on by Judy

Who said Christmas wishes don’t come true?

Guiness and Kenzo were recently spoilt by Spoilingtons pet presents with these gorgeous festive reindeer bandanas and cute felt reindeer stockings containing doggalicious treats.

How adorable do they look ? And because these two are actually my eldest daughter, Tammi’s babies , this makes me their grandmother so their reindeer dog treat stockings are on the tree to include them in the Christmas festivities.

The cute reindeer treat bag retails at R50 each and is handmade from reindeer coloured felt. They have googly eyes and a red Rudolph nose.Inside each bag are 4 handmade healthy dog treats :- 2 x pumpkin & cinnamon and 2x peanut butter. Everything is tied together with a little green bow that you could attach to your tree.

The handmade reindeer bandanas are 100% cotton and retail for R55 -R65 each , depending on dog size.They fit neatly over the collar and if you scroll to see the dogs love their bandanas.Spoilingtons have a wide variety of beautiful items for your pets Christmas wish lists this year.Pop on over and spoil your fury friends today.

Posted in Press releases

CloudDine – the delivery-only restaurant franchise model designed for the future

Posted on by Judy

Fiamme Holdings, owner and franchisor of over 100 outlets through The Fish & Chip Co. and Maxi’s Grill brand, today announced the opening of its new revolutionary franchise online restaurant concept – CloudDine.

The first CloudDine franchise outlet will service customers in the East Rand area with the store located in the Eastgate mall precinct.

Kitchen set-ups are state of the art, with a paperless business model and a plan to integrate the point of sale directly into accounting, labour and payroll modules.

Both customers and franchisees can rest assured of exceptional quality, variety and value with a laser focus on delivery only by CloudDine.

According to Carlo Gonzaga, Non-Executive Director at Fiamme Holding, the concept has been in the pipeline for some time. “COVID-19 has accelerated the adoption of online purchasing and home delivery to the extent that restaurant business models need to be re-imagined with delivery-only in mind. We have carefully considered the pain points in a franchisee’s life, and believe that a delivery-only restaurant model will address these.

They stand to benefit from lower set-up costs as there is only a kitchen and no customer area to be fitted out, similarly these kitchens can be set up where there is a demand as opposed to prominent shopping malls, which translates into lower rentals,” said Gonzaga.

Gonzaga further explained that there is opportunity to increase margins, lower risk, and easier management for franchisees, all attributable to more efficient labour processes and outsourced delivery that removes the burden of having to manage a fleet of bikes and drivers.

Summarising the benefits customers stand to enjoy, Fiamme’s Managing Director, Jan De Beer had this to say, “Customers benefit in three main ways: first is choice – we have a large variety which means that families don’t have to always compromise between a pizza or a hamburger as they currently do. We think this is good for household peace! Second is speed – delivery is treated as a second priority in traditional restaurants whereas for us it is the whole business. Everything from prep times, packaging, and order accuracy is a priority which means customers get hot food fast. Lastly is value: we add the cost of delivery into the price of the product, as most restaurants currently have to add the delivery cost to the price. We are able to do this due to our focused delivery-only model.”

“Ultimately we want to optimize the work flow and management of the business such that our franchisees can own multiple outlets without needing massive back-offices as is currently the case.” said De Beer.

Gonzaga added, “What’s exciting is that we have taken everything we learnt from all the business we have been involved in and started from scratch. That means we have not had to make too many compromises.

We’re excited to be able to offer franchisees an opportunity to participate at the early stages of a new concept.”

ABOUT FIAMME HOLDINGS
Led by Jan De Beer (Managing Director) and Carlo Gonzaga (Non-executive Director), the team at Fiamme

has over 50 years combined restaurant experience launching brands like Scooters Pizza, Domino’s, and Starbucks in South Africa. Fiamme Holdings bought The Fish & Chip Co. and Maxi’s Grill from Taste Holdings in December 2019.

The entire operations and management team came across to Fiamme and were joined by Carlo Gonzaga, Wessel van der Merwe and Bheki Shongwe as non-executive directors.


For further information about Franchise opportunity visit www.clouddine.co.za

Posted in Press releases

South Africans Pledge with Lancewood® for Quality Mealtime 

Posted on by Judy

Over the past three weeks, thousands of South African families have taken the Lancewood Quality Time™ Pledge, committing to at least one distraction-free meal every week.

A recent research survey revealed that 89% of households believe that quality time with loved ones is important.

However, the study also highlighted that this may be a challenge due to today’s busy and modern lifestyle.

This inspired Lancewood® to initiate the Quality Time Pledge encouraging families to make more meaningful connections over mealtimes.

Names you may recognise amongst those that have already taken the Pledge include Minki van der Westhuizen, Mpoomy Ledwaba, J’Something and Zola Nene.

According to Zola, “This initiative has inspired me to take the pledge. Sundays are now reserved for distraction-free, technology-free quality mealtime with the family – you know, the good old-fashioned way!”

J’Something, from Mi Casa, went as far as introducing a cellphone ‘lockbox’ for mealtimes, saying “All the cellphones go into the skaftin before mealtime and then we can focus on one another. There are better things that we could be doing during our mealtime, like catching up with one another, connecting and finding out how everyone is doing and enjoying that meal together. It’s a valuable thing to instil.”

“It seems the more ‘connected’ our lives, the less connected we are to those we love. By taking the Pledge, you commit to creating more memorable quality mealtimes together.

Leave the inspiration of what to cook to Lancewood®. Whether you only have 15 minutes to create a meal or wish to make something a little more challenging, we have hundreds of recipes to suit every occasion. And better yet, why not lighten the load and make the meal prep a family occasion,” says Shereen Anderhold from Lancewood®.

Take the Lancewood Quality Time™ Pledge to stand a chance of winning a beautiful dining room makeover to the value of R100,000 to make those mealtime moments even more special. Additional prizes up for grabs include a R50,000 dining room set and desirable KitchenAid appliances. The competition ends at midnight on 6 November 2020.

Visit www.lancewood.co.za for more information, follow @lancewood.co.za on Instagram or Facebook and join the conversation using #LancewoodQualityTime.

Posted in Brands we love

A gift of time – children’s character watches from The Mom Shop

Posted on by Judy

Do you remember getting your first watch?

Memories

I bought my children their first watch when they learnt to tell time.I would make a big deal about them being big kids and how smart they were. My boys especially, couldn’t wait to own their own big kid watch.I’d always start with a digital watch and I still love watching how the concept of time slowly starts to grow when they now are able to tell time.Usually the watch contained images of their favourite cartoon because children always learn best if they are interested in a subject.

Hamish gets his first watch

So when The mom shop asked me to choose from their products I just knew this action hero watch was perfect for Hamish.He has recently started telling time and was so excited to open his package with this precious treasure.Retailing at R99 this would make the perfect end of term gift for your kiddies entering Grade R or Grade 1 next year.I think they fantastic to add into Christmas stockings.The boys Justice League range has Batman, Spiderman, Hulk, Iron man and Captain America.For girls you can choose one of many LOL dolls or Hello kitty.

About the watch

These multifunction plastic watches allow you to push up the bodies to hide the watch part and your child can enjoy wearing their favourite cartoons on their arm.At first I was really confused where to set the watch, but it has 2 small buttons on the side which were easy enough to use and set the time correctly.The watch comes with a battery already inside so there is no need to suddenly hunt down watch batteries on Christmas morning.Recommended for children ages 3+This Christmas give a gift of time.

Posted in Brands we love, Christmas, Family Life, Family Time, Fun Mamma SA Products we love, Health & Wellness, Life with my bears, Parenting

Is your child a KRAZI AWSUM KID ?

Posted on by Judy

Every mom believes we have the most beautiful, wonderful and amazing children but how often do we remind our children how wonderful they are?

Now, you can gift your child with a positive affirmation to remind them just how amazing they are.

Krazi Awsum gifts and goodies have launched a range of slogan tshirts for the whole family to remind them just how KRAZI AWSUM they are !

Hamish loves his and likes to shout out “I’m krazi awsum” as a positive mantra. I love that he is developing a strong self value and when he forgets how wonderful he is, this shirt is a cool reminder should I forget to tell him often enough.

Shop

Krazi Awsum kid Tshirts R150 each

Krazi Awsum mama / papa
R220

KRAZI AWSUM custom shirts for any family member:

Granny
Grandpa
Aunty
Uncle
Sister
Brother
Niece
Nephew

Or how about reminding someone what a great job they doing or celebrating a special milestone ….

Krazi Awsum:
Teacher
Boss
Friend
Artist
Bride to be
Matric 2020
Husband
Wife

This design is copyright Krazi Awsum gifts and goodies 2020

( Last orders for 2020 are 1 December in time for printing )

Contact Judymacgregor161@gmail.com

Or follow Krazi awesome on

Facebook

Instagram

Posted in Blog posts, Press releases

Share your child’s drawings with BIC SA to win a BIC Stationery hamper.

Posted on by Judy
There have been multiple studies conducted to show that creativity and well-being are positively linked, and for children in particular, that art and creativity help their development in various ways .

The team at BIC Stationery recently chatted to Psychologist Bernice Castle to gain some insights on this. She shared the following thoughts:

– Art can be a powerful tool among children and adults alike. If children engage in hands-on art activities, they learn much better in all disciplines.

– Art helps children apply their gross and fine motor skills to something meaningful and tap into their problem-solving skills through visual cognitive responses.

– Art has been proven to stimulate imagination, improve observation skills, boost self-esteem, provide a sense of accomplishment and reduce stress.

– Art creates opportunities for them to communicate how they see and experience the world and allows them to give expression to their feelings about the situations they encounter in their daily lives.

BIC provides numerous FREE RESOURCES for parents and educators to spark creativity and inspiration, the most recent of which is a series of weekly tutorials available at www.facebook.com/BICSA.

Parents are encouraged to share their child’s drawings on the BIC SA facebook page between now and 22 November for a chance to win a BIC Stationery hamper.

Many more resources are available at https://bickids.com/en

Posted in Press releases

Homemation brings home another winning soundbar system with the Polk Signa S3

Posted on by Judy

Polk Audio continue to up the ante with innovations and superior, reliable sound. Their Signa Series offers affordable universal TV soundbars which are quick and easy to set up.

Their latest offering is the Polk Signa S3 soundbar and wireless subwoofer system with Chromecast built-in, distributed exclusively through the Homemation network in South Africa.

This soundbar delivers an incredible, room-filling home theatre experience. It is built to work with any HD, 4K and 8K TV, is easy to set up and can be controlled with a single remote.

Fabulous Features

Features include the Polk-patented Voice Adjust technology for clear dialogue, and Dolby Digital decoding for immersive, performance-tuned surround sound. It comes equipped with a wireless subwoofer for deep bass impact. Plus, you can stream your favourite music with Chromecast built-in and Google Play Music, Amazon Music HD, Apple Music, Spotify and many more.

“The Signa’s superlative audio performance is anchored by a potent subwoofer that helps bolster the bottom end of both tricky soundtracks and bass-heavy music”, according to Cnet.

Soundbars continue to rise in popularity as they boost your TV sound and the Polk Signa S3 complements standard TV connections with multi-room, network music streaming, proving that soundbars aren’t only for watching movies and are ideal for music too.

Recommended Retail Price is

R 6 199.

Homemation is a specialist supplier of premium branded audiovisual, home automation and home theatre products. The brands in their stable offer some of the most advanced and sought-after home automation, AV and sound technology in the world. Homemation has the exclusive distribution, in Africa, of global leading brands such as Control4, Definitive Technology, Denon, Heos, Klipsch, Monitor Audio, Polk Audio, Steinway Lyngdorf, Stewart Filmscreen, SVS, Lutron, Roksan and Michi.

Call Homemation on 011-781 8887 for your nearest reseller, or visit www.homemation.co.za or www.control4.co.za

Posted in Blog posts

Chicco gel pack doudou

Posted on by Judy
Hamish loved his little sleepytime blanket as a baby and recently I was looking for one as a great baby shower gift for a new mom.

I came across this adorable gel pack doudou which has 4 characters – the giraffe, bear, croc and fox.

These cute little characters help to comfort your baby naturally and you can heat it in the microwave or cool in freezer.

They contain a non toxic gel and as well as letting your little one snuggle with their plush new friend, they can also be used for:

  • Insect bites
  • Fever
  • Stomach ache
  • Relieving the soreness from sunbathing

Whilst the doudou wont cure the ailment it will bring a degree of calmness and comfort.

The plush doudou can is made from luxury plush in Belgium, which is the Nattou standard.
They are for sale at Takealot and are R249.
Posted in Family Life

Fun Kid’s Entertainment Ideas

Posted on by Judy

Are you tired of stringing macaroni and making yet another batch of homemade playdough to keep the kids entertained?

Not to worry, we have you covered with 3 Unique kid’s entertainment ideas that are both fun and versatile to use for all ages, keeping the kids entertained and saving your sanity.

None of these activities require special equipment and you should have the supplies needed for fun in your home.

Supplies Needed :-

Activity 1

  • Paints – the best paint to use is a non-toxic poster paint. Alternatively, you can make your own taste safe paint for younger children by adding 2 tablespoons of flour to a tablespoon of water and a drop of food colouring.
  • Paint brushes – pastry brushes, ear buds and sponges make great emergency paint brushes.
  • Baking tray

Activity 2

  • 2 or 3 small jars or glasses

water

  • Food colouring
  • White flowers

Activity 3

  • Empty 500ml water bottle
  • Old sock
  • Elastic band
  • Dishwashing liquid
  • Flat bowl
  • Glycerin ( optional)
  • Food colouring ( optional)

Activities:

1.Paint the Windows

Why windows?

Not only is this a fun activity but painting on a vertical surface allows your child to naturally cross the midline of their body because their dominant hand has to reach all the spaces on the surface.

For this activity set out a baking tray with paints and an assortment of brushes and sponges for your child to paint a large glass door or window with. You may want to work outside or put newspaper down before you begin as this activity can get very messy.

Allowing your child to use their hands and fingers to paint will increase the sensory experience of this activity, but, if you find that your child is hesitant to touch the paint, you could allow them to put on a pair of disposible gloves first as the cold, drippy sensation of the paint will still be felt through a thin glove.

2.Magically change the colour of a white flower

Children love magic and you can introduce this easy science activity to even the youngest child.

Take a walk together to find and pick 2 or 3 white flowers. When you are back at home set a small jar or glass for each flower which has been three quarter filled with water and a few drops of food colouring.

Place one flower in each jar or glass and leave over night. The transpiration will occur overnight as the stem pulls the food colouring onto the leaves and flower petals. Although the stem and leaves also absorb the dye, the petals will exhibit the most obvious colour change.

Your child will be delighted at waking to their magic flowers.

3.Foam snake

These are a lot of fun, perfect for summer days and best played with outdoors as the bubble snakes can grow quite long with enthusiastic children.

To make the blower, cut the bottom off of an empty 500ml water bottle.
Place a sock over the cut off edge and secure it with an elastic band.
In the flat bowl, mix water and a few spoons of dishwashing liquid together.
Dip the sock into the bubble water.
Let your child blow from the top and discover the wonder of their bubble snake growing.

For added fun you could host a competition to see which child blows the longest snake or add colour to your bubbles by adding a few drops of food colouring to the bubble water solution.

If you are making this for a large group of children it is advisable to add a teaspoon of glycerin, this will prevent the water from evaporating as fast and produce bigger, stronger bubbles.

With these bordom busters you are guaranteed to bring the fun to the playground. Share with us in the comments if you have tried these activities and how your children enjoyed them.

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Posted in easy science experiments, Education, preschool, preschool curriculum

Science for kids – fishing for paper clips

Posted on by Judy

Children love science experiments.

The mystery and magic holds even the most busy child captivated.

This little experiment is a nice learning through play idea to teach children about magnets and the metals that attract to them.

Fishing for magnets

You will need

  • Glass or jar ( use a clear plastic container for smaller children)
  • Paper clips
  • Fridge magnet

Method:

Let your child place the magnets into the glass.

Give them the magnet and show them that the paper clips attract to the magnet.

Allow them to continue fishing for paper clips.

You can also turn this into a game by taking turns and see who catches the most at each turn or by giving a group 9f children each a glass and set a timer, who will finish collecting all their paper clips first?

Video

I absolutely loved Hamish’s reaction to this. You can see how he enjoyed catching his paper clip fish in this video.

Why do magnets attract paper clips ?

The magnetic field from a magnet creates a magnetic force, attracting other ferromagnetic materials.

Paper clips are usually made from steel wire. The steel is an alloy of iron and carbon. Iron is a ferromagnetic material and that will make the paper clip attract to the magnet.

I’d love to hear if your children enjoyed this experiment. Let me know in the comments.