a treasure trove of online magazines

Want online magazine bliss? Don't know quite where to find it? Here is your quick-find list of super gorgeous eye candy {and brain candy}. Have fun! and let me know if you also find anything spectacular . . .

S w e e t   P a u l {above}
All things gorgeous and foodie/crafty stylish, from this popular blogger and publications creator.

T i c k l e   t h e   I m a g i n a t i o n
tickle the imagination is an online magazine celebrating the handmade and creative community in Australia. Released bi-monthly, tickle the imagination aims to inspire creativity, showcasing talented artists, crafters and designers, discovering emerging talent and sharing real-life stories and diy projects. ...be inspired by gorgeous images, take a peek into the lives of artists and designers and discover ways to include creativity & handmade into your everyday living.

G i f t e d   M a g a z i n e
The fresh new holiday magazine filled with inspiring d.i.y. projects, freebies, interviews, and a fantastic gift guide.

T h e   P a r t y   D r e s s
A party planning magazine from the popular blog, The Party Dress. Featuring ideas for kids parties, baby and bridal showers, Spring entertaining and St. Patrick's Day, Easter and Mother's Day celebrations.

M a e v e   M a g a z i n e
MAEVE Magazine is a quarterly online publication aimed at the conscious consumer. MAEVE targets 30-40 something’s + some 20 something’s too… women… grown ups… parents… people who want more from their media. MAEVE is an observatory on human kind, incorporating a plethora of ideas and inspiration to bring life to your life and your family.

T h e   H o m e m a d e   H o m e
Create a stylish and individual home using nothing more than remnants of fabric flea market finds, buttons, beads, hand-me-down furniture, and leftover paint.

G r a y
GRAY is a bimonthly print and digital magazine showcasing inspiring ideas, talented professionals and beautiful products available throughout the Pacific Northwest.

O n e    S w e e t   G i r l
Hailed as Melbourne's 'Mary Poppins of Desserts', this catalogue is a showcase of the dessert tables I have created and been a part of, as well as the cakes, cupcakes, cookies and desserts that I create along the way.

W e l l W e d
WellWed Cape Cod + Nantucket + Martha's Vineyard Magazine 

E s t

Modern design and decorating.

F e s t i v i t i e s
A magazine to inspire the home entertainer with quick party tips, elegant designs, tutorials and recipes for celebrations.

Zest
Food food food.

W h a t   L i b e r t y   A t e
What Liberty Ate Magazine is a creative magazine about food photography, great recipes, places to visit, people and blogs.

F o o d i e   C r u s h
The debut issue of the online food magazine that loves food bloggers, their recipes and photography.

A d o r e   H o m e

Adore Home magazine, Australia's first online only home and lifestyle magazine available exclusively online. Founded and created by designer Loni Parker, Adore Home invites you into inspirational homes, looks at the latest products on the market and whisks you away to gorgeous holiday destinations.

A n t h o l o g y
Anthology Magazine is a home and lifestyle print magazine that explores a theme in every issue.

M y   L i t t l e   J e d i
My Little Jedi online magazine is all about amazing party styling, sweet dessert tables, delicious recipes, inspirational DIY projects to help you celebrate this holiday season in style!

S i m p l y   t h e   S w e e t   L i f e
Simply the Sweet Life is a home & garden lifestyle magazine with features on good Food & Recipes, fresh Creative ideas, stylish Entertaining & Lifestyle tips, and family Travels to create lasting memories. It is the place to find Simple little things to make life Sweet!

S w e e t   L i v i n g
Crafts, DIYs, food, green living, backyard sustainability.

R u c h e
Ruche Spring/Summer Guide 2012 from shopruche.com. A Cup of Tea, introduces a selection of DIY ideas for the menu, charming décor, and gifts for your guests to take home.

R e v e r i e
Enormous weddings magazine.

S m i t t e n
Gorgeous weddings.

M a c h é
maché is an online magazine that covets life’s true essentials: delicious food and making memories with friends and family. Brimming with recipes, fabulous events, swoon-worthy fashion and DIY downloads, maché makes it easier to live life to the fullest. maché provides ideas for elevating the everyday.

R u e
Lifestyle.

{ M A G } R o u g e
Stylish online wedding magazine.

F e t e
Decorating, home, food, lifestyle.

M o d e r n   I n k
Design, fashion, lifestyle.

a r t i g   u n d   f e i n
Design, home.

B i r d s   P a r t y
Party central. 

D i a n e   V o n    F u r s t e n b e r g
Behind the scenes.

T h e   N e s t
Home.

B o d i e   a n d    F o u
Design, fashion, inspiration.

A   L i t t l e   R e l i s h
A little relish is filled with mouth watering recipes and cafe/restaurant reviews among other things.

S e r e n a   a n d   L i l y
House, decorating, inspiration.

F u n k y t i m e
Design, food, craft, fun.

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I'm loving... funkytime

I'm SO loving funkytime - a stunning electronic mag (and digital playground) with truly gorgeous ideas and free printables. German girl Sibylle, a graphic designer/stylist/lover of food, photography and all things pretty and vintage, is one super talented gal.

It's love.

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Parties: Let the Games Begin! Mini Olympics Party

With the imminent arrival of London's 2012 Olympic Games, I thought it might be fun to republish this party I did for beijingkids magazine back in 2008. If you're an Olympiad maniac family like us, you'll love any excuse to throw a shindig for the kids. And it's surprisingly easy to do . . . read on.

As Beijing heats up to the 2008 Olympic Games, head indoors away from the sweaty heat with a Mini-Olympics party designed just for kids. All that’s needed is a few props and some competitive spirit!

A mini Olympic event in your own living room? It’s not as impossible as it seems, and little athletes will love the opportunity to compete during this historic time in Beijing’s history. These Games take little in the way of space and props, and even the smallest sporting enthusiasts can proudly vie for a gold medal.

Invitations

Type up and print off your “Olympic ticket” invitations, glue them to card and trim. You could also use rounds of yellow cardboard and attach ribbon for a gold-medal look. Handwrite your party details on each medal.

Games Prep

Most of these Games can be run with the aid of just two Olympic Officials (mum and dad), but extra help is always great. Push your furniture against the walls and decide on how many Games Stations you can fit in your living area; most of these Stations take up little room.

Print off the name of each Station and tack it to the wall. Divide your guest-list into age groups, pitching athletes against their own age or physical capability.

Type up a registration sheet listing the athletes’ names and bib number, then tick them off as athletes arrive and register.

You will need an Event Results sheet for each Games Station, with columns for names and placings. Also, type up an Overall Winners tally sheet with four columns that should include the Games Stations then the three placings – Gold, Silver and Bronze.

You may like to award a special prize to the overall Olympic winner, or perhaps offer a prize to “Fairest Play” or “Athlete with Most Potential”. Consider offering medals to all runners up, too. Set up your medal dais using chairs and small tables of varying height, draped in white sheeting. Print off large numbers and tape underneath each place.

Olympic Bibs

Your athletes will feel like the real deal with an athletic bib, and Olympic Officials will more easily spot winners. These bibs are easy to make with hemmed cotton squares and lengths of ribbon.

Hand write their name and number or print them onto transfer paper (this paper was found on eBay, or you could order from overseas stationery websites) and iron on. Don't forget 'Official' bibs for the refs.

You could also safety-pin paper squares to athlete’s tops or use inexpensive white t-shirts and fabric markers.

The Games

Gather your kids and prep them on the 'rules', then have a warm-up session. Make sure you use a whistle!

Equipment:
· A broomstick
· A meter rule or tape measure
· Masking tape
· A large plastic bowl
· Some 1 jiao coins
· A long rope
· One balloon for each athlete
· Two hula hoops
· A whistle
· A stop-watch, egg timer or wristwatch

High Jump Limbo

Rules: Athletes limbo under a stick held by two Olympic Officials, which is lowered after each round. Athletes repeat until they touch the stick or fall over.

Winners: Last limbo athlete standing is the winner.

Tips: Tack a meter rule or tape measure to the wall for Officials to measure against.

Shot Put Toin Coss

Rules: Athletes stand on the mark closest to the bowl, and toss one of five coins in. After each toss, they step backwards to the next mark. Repeat until the fifth line is reached. Tally how many of the five coins they get in.

Winners: The athlete with the most coins wins. In case of a tie, have a play-off.

Tips: Pre-measure and mark your shot put lines with masking tape.

Frog Long Jump

Rules: Four athletes stand in a row and jump as far as they can from a standstill.


Winners: The athlete with the longest jump wins.

Tips: Mark a starting line with masking tape. Measure from the line to the back of each competitor’s foot.

Marathon Shuffle

Rules: Athletes must race on their hands and feet, tummies facing upwards. Line them up in groups of two and race around an object, then back to the starting line. If bottoms touch the ground, they are out.

Winners: Athletes compete against each other in racing rounds.

Tips: If you have lots of athletes, have four compete at once.

Volleyball Hover

Rules: Athletes compete in groups of five, hitting or kicking a balloon into the air. If their balloon touches the floor or if the athlete holds onto it even briefly, they are out.

Winners: Winner keeps their balloon up the longest.

Tips: Give each athlete a different Olympic-colored balloon.

Balance Beam

Rules: Athletes walk along the 'balance beam'. Their feet must stay on the rope, otherwise they are out.

Winners: The winner is the one who can keep their feet on the line with repeated walkings. Make it harder each time by having the kids put their hands on their heads, walk backwards, close their eyes, etc.

Tips: Make it harder by creating a wobbly line.

Gymnastic Unipod

Rules: Athletes compete in groups of two, standing on one foot for as long as possible.

Winners: Play in rounds until the last athlete is, er… standing.

Tips: Place athletes far apart so they can’t touch.

Hula Gymnast

Rules: Athletes compete in twos to keep a hula hoop circling around their waist.

Winners: Athletes play in rounds until the winner is announced.

Tips: Need a little crowd-control? Simply ask non-participating athletes to sit on the floor.

Atmosphere

There is nothing like an uplifting beat to get energy pumping. Play some up-tempo music to have athletes jumping and raring to go.

Sustenance

Every athlete needs his fuel. Provide bottles of water or juice with names printed on them, and bowls full of orange wedges, watermelon and grapes.

Leave the sugary, salty party food for when the Games are over and everyone celebrate their victory. The cake is a breeze with lashings of white icing and either rings piped in the five colours, or an Olympic statuette or two.

Medal Ceremony

After your Games are complete, send the athletes off to eat while you tally scores.

Have them sit in front of the medal dais and call out winners for each Games Station, presenting medals and goodie bags to thunderous applause.

Medals and Goodie Bags

Medals can be bought at party stores or made of cardboard circles strung with ribbon. Stuff goodie bags with sport-esque favors like drink bottles, whistles, sweat bands, Friendlies paraphernalia and of course – some candy.

First published, in part, in beijingkids magazine and on the beijingkids website. Photographs by Simon Lim and Tania McCartney.

Kids Parties A-Z
 

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