Open post of the week: what's on your mind?

Is anybody out there? People keep talking about ‘winding down’ for Christmas but everyone I know is winding up. Like, UP UP. Hectic mad crazy busy. We’re certainly planning no snoozing around here. But before we talk about that, let’s get stuck into our weekly Open Post where we give you a sneak peak into what’s going on behind the scenes at Mamamia this week and you talk about anything you want. Anything at all. What’s on your mind (OMM = “On My Mind’). Maybe just a vent or sharing something you think or feel or that you’ve noticed or need some help with.

Along with Friday’s Best & Worst of the week post, this mid-week regular is our most community minded post and one of our most popular (maybe because we all get to talk about ourselves!).

I had a lovely weekend – the highlight of which was a BBQ with our close friends Paula Joye, her husband Saxon and all our kids.  We have a new BBQ so we had them over to ours and I was in charge of making dessert (they brought the meat and sangers).

“I’m making a chocolate cake” I announced to Jason on Saturday morning because that’s what I felt like eating for dessert and I’m selfish like that. Also, I used to be one mean baker. Really, I did.

Jason cocked his head and I could see him choosing his words carefully. “Babe, are you sure?” he ventured. “You know how much they love good food and the last time you made it, it didn’t go so well.”

The ‘last time’ was for Coco’s birthday a few weeks ago and yes, it was a little overcooked – and I’d had to subsitute drinking chocolate for Cocoa because we had none and that made it a bit sickly sweet. And yet, I was undeterred.

A bad chocolate cake is still a chocolate cake.

“No” I said stubbornly. “I’m making it”.

And I did.

Except I had to go out so I set the timer on the oven and asked Jason to check it when it went off. He was so concerned about the overcooking part, he whipped it out too early. But we didn’t know this yet.

I made my famous chocolate icing and we conscripted all the kids to ice it.

This is the result:

My view is that there is no such thing as too much icing. The cake is an afterthought really.

I thought I should show you the cake because people sometimes wonder if it’s intimidating being friends with someone like Paula who is so good at so many Martha Stewart-type things – fashion, decorating, styling, cooking (among all the other things she’s good at).

The answer is no. Never have I once felt worried about serving her a lop-sided raw cake. She has the rare knack of making you feel very clever, no matter how lame your efforts.

The other fun part about this BBQ is a certain fashion challenge she set for us (which you can read about on her site here) which sent me into a momentary panic but ended up being a hoot. It really doesn’t take a lot to float our boats on a Saturday night anymore. Sound familiar?

Here’s what we wore:

In the office, we had our Christmas party on Monday. This was amusing because last year at our “Christmas party” there were only 4 of us including me, Jason, Lana and Nicky (who is still on maternity leave but popped in to join us this week for the party). It’s been a huge year for Mamamia and our heads spin around a little bit when we think about it so we try not to do that too much.

There’s no time because we have to keep POSTING.

Speaking of which, we’ll be here all through Christmas and New Year so don’t be a stranger.

It’s business as usual for Mamamia although hopefully not for you. Happy holidays everyone.

Here are some photos from the party and everything else that’s been happening in the office:

WANT TO BE ON MAMAMIA?

Remember last week when I mentioned my dilemma about fashion posts and how we were super keen to promote diversity but often struggled to find appropriate images for our street-style galleries?

That.

Well, we have some news. We’re going to start a new regular post in the new year called “Wardrobe Week” where we ask YOU to submit a week’s worth of photos of yourself and what you’re wearing. The key is to make sure the images are full-length and shot in the same place every day – preferably against a white wall.

Email us 5-10 images (you might have 2 in one day – if, say, you go out at night!) that showcase a week in your wardrobe – along with details of what you’re wearing in each shot.

And if you have friends who dress in interesting ways, tell them about it and encourage them to participate. We’ve done a few in the office for this week’s gallery to give you an idea of what we’re looking for.

UNDER NO CIRCUMSTANCES do your clothes have to be expensive or designer (cheap is the new expensive). It’s all about just peeking into what other women wear in their everyday lives – whether they’re going to work, uni or at home with the kids.

It’s all part of Mamamia’s new approach to showcasing diversity in 2012. We want our readers to star in our posts so we can ALL start contributing to a more realistic portrayal of women in the media.

YESIREE. So do it.

Email images (saved at less than 200kb, please) to wardrobeweek@mamamia.com.au

How’s your week going? What’s on your mind?