BUG BITS - Cake Face

If there's one thing I love almost as much as chocolate, it is cake. It is my lighter, more spongy best friend. So you'll understand when I tell you that I was more than a bit excited when the delightful Mignon from Cake Face came my way a little while ago.

Mignon wanted to spread the word about Cake Face, and showcase her flair for bespoke wedding and special occasion cakes. In short, Mignon needed a media kit.

Here's a deliciously light, melt in your mouth taste of what we came up with:

...and the bio page:

If a taste of Cake Face is simply not enough, you can find out more here.

I never knew it was possible to create cakes like these. Mignon's gallery of cake extravaganzas really is a sight to behold. Treat yourself and take 10 mouth watering-minutes to take a look.

I am a cake face!

Jen x

Dot's Gigglespot #12

What message are you sending to your audience?

Is it relevant???

Jen x

Grammar on the Porch #10

Is it just me or do high school English classes slide further and further away with every year? Thank goodness we have "Grammar on the Porch". Good old Grammar loves to visit The Letterbug from time to time for a nice cup of tea and a natter about the English language. She knows you know - really she does. But just in case...

Image kindly supplied by Toni Grote - visit http://www.artisttonigrote.blogspot.com/ to see more of her beautiful artwork.

Good morning dears! Grammar is so pleased you've joined us here on the porch this morning. Don't you just love the scent of freesias hanging in the air on such a sunny spring morning? It reminds me of a high tea I once attended at a manor house as a young lass. My my, spring fever was in the air that day... but that's a story for another day, he he he.

Today let's chat about the past. I hope by now that Grammar has passed on some valuable tips to you here on the porch. Over the past year or so we've nattered about there, their and they're, sipped earl grey over that vs which, me vs I, its vs it's and many more grammatical conundrums. Well, here's another beauty for you to consider...

Past vs Passed

Which past/passed is which? How do we use them? What time is morning tea?? Sorry dears, ignore that last question! Let Grammar shed some light on these two words for you:

Past - the word 'past' locates something in time or space. It can be an adjective, a noun, an adverb or a preposition. Following is an explanation and examples of each.

Past – adjective: gone by or elapsed in time
- It was a bad time, but it's all past now.
- the past glories of the boot-scooting craze.
- during the past year.
- three past presidents of the bowls club.

Past – noun: the time gone by
- Grandpa could remember events far back in the past.
- our bowls club's glorious past.
- Sometimes it's better to forget the past.
- That tattoo is a reminder of the past.
- When he left prison, he put his past behind him.

Past – adverb: so as to pass by or beyond
- The parade marched past.

Past – preposition: beyond in time; later than; after
- It's past midnight; nearly half past twelve!
- The pub is just past the petrol station.
- We went past your house by mistake.
- Grammar is past the maximum age for sky-diving.

Passed - is the past participle of the verb 'to pass'.
- To proceed, move forward, depart; to cause to do this. This can refer to movement forwards in time, in space, or in life (such as 'to pass an examination').
- The car passed us at extremely high speed
- I passed all of my exams
- He passed the basketball with an effortless flick of his wrist.
- The time passed so slowly while you were away.

Now then Grammar hopes that this will help to clarify the different uses of the words past and passed. Speaking of which, it is high time you passed the Tim Tams over to Grammar - all of this chit chat has made me hungry. Who would have thought, eh?!

See you next time...

BUG BITS - Lumina Motion Pictures

The Letterbug loves weddings, so while we're on a roll with wedding projects let me tell you about the project that made me cry. Often. I cried a lot while this project was on the go.

Richelle and Shane Kerr from Lumina Motion Pictures create the most beautiful wedding day films that I have ever clapped eyes on. These are not your average daggy wedding day videos, people! These are film-clips, motion pictures - beautiful, joyful, cinematic love-stories.

And every time I flitted over to the Lumina website and watched a teaser of their work, IT MADE ME CRY!

I don't know the brides or grooms featured in any of Shane and Richelle's work, but apparently it doesn't matter if the film is created by skillful cinematographers who share a love of weddings...

..sniff.

So anyway, Richelle and Shane wanted me to write a communication for them that outlined the different packages offered by Lumina Motion Pictures. Along with this we also needed to get the message across to brides and grooms-to-be that Lumina does weddings like no other videographer can. Have I mentioned the whole crying thing yet??

Here's a snippet of what we came up with:

For more information about Lumina Motion Pictures, click here.

I can't help myself, I simply HAD to include one of Richelle and Shane's gorgeous clips here at the Letterbug too. Enjoy!

Jen x

Kelly & Steven from Lumina Motion Pictures on Vimeo.

BUG BITS - Polka Dot Bride

I am quite a curious person, so you can imagine the effect it had on me when I took on a writing project for an anonymous blogger! The deliciously elusive Ms Polka Dot recently asked me to give her a hand while she worked through the super-exciting task of revamping her blog, Polka Dot Bride.

We worked on a range of different writing projects, one of which was an email to her advertisers to introduce the new look Polka Dot Bride. The vast new site has SO much to offer anyone interested in weddings. The key for this project was to outline all of the necessary information in a way that a) made sense, b) was easy to read, and c) didn't completely bamboozle the reader.

Here's a confetti-coated snippety snip of the email we put together:

This email goes on to cover many more fantastic features, all of which are now firmly in place at Polka Dot Bride. To go and explore this treasure trove of weddings, click here.

Note: Can you believe I still have NO idea about Ms Polka Dot's identity?! I can tell you that she is delightful, clever and witty. Her ability to sift out the most beautiful wedding inspirations is amazing, and she is about as intriguing as they come. I am just as curious now as I was before this project came about. Thanks Ms Polka Dot!

Jen x

Dot's Gigglespot #11

Wow! The Australian Army must have some really awesome camouflage painters...

Amazing!
We've missed you Dot - come back with more giggles soon.
xx

Grammar on the Porch #9

Is it just me or do high school English classes slide further and further away with every year? Thank goodness we have "Grammar on the Porch". Good old Grammar loves to visit The Letterbug from time to time for a nice cup of tea and a natter about the English language. She knows you know - really she does. But just in case...

Image kindly supplied by Toni Grote - visit http://www.artisttonigrote.blogspot.com/ to see more of her beautiful artwork.

When the porch is ravaged by wind and rain for weeks on end, Grammar doesn't visit much. It's been awhile, but with just a hint of spring in the air Grammar thought she ought to pop in for a quick cup of tea and a chat.

There are numerous words in the English language that sound the same as each other in speech, but have their own unique spelling. These words are used with ease when talking, but often bring our writing to an abrupt halt as we puzzle over which is the correct spelling for our particular purpose.

Grammar is going to set the record straight on a couple of these words this afternoon, while we wait for our English Breakfast to draw...

Practice vs. Practise

Which spelling is correct? Which word do we use when? You mean there is more than one spelling???

If you've ever stumbled over 'practice' and 'practise', I have the simplest of solutions. You will never mix up these two little lovelies again! So here it is:

Practice is a noun, a thing. Something you can put 'the' in front of. E.G. I have an appointment at the medical practice in 20 minutes.

Practise is a verb, an action. A doing word. E.G. If I am ever going to get faster at knitting I need to practise.

So how can we remember which practice is which? Easy!

'ICE' is a cold slippery thing, whereas 'ISE' is not a thing.
So, just remember that practice is a thing and practise is a doing word:

"The only thing Grammar doesn't like about bowls practice is practising her drive."

Special bonus extra from Grammar: Another similar confusion is advice and advise. Fortunately, the same rules apply.

Now then, that breeze is going right through me out here on the porch. Grammar's going to nip inside with an Iced Vo-Vo and a nice brew.

See you soon!

BUG BITS - Little Moos

Pretty, pretty, pretty...

Imagine my luck when I was asked to write about the softest, fluffiest, prettiest little tutu's around? When Jaki from Little Moos asked me to write a press release for the latest collection of Little Moos tutu's I really didn't know where to start. That lasted for about 0.317 seconds, because tutus are so spectacularly fun, and they're just SO pretty, pretty pretty!

Here's what we put together:

To learn more about the sheer bliss that is a Little Moos tutu, click here.

And while we're just, you know, chatting - how old is too old for a tutu?
I'm just taking a poll, in case anyone ever asks me... that's all :P

Jen x

5 Questions @ The Letterbug: Carla Hazzard - Habitat baby

As a copywriter/wife/mum/sister/daughter/friend, I get asked a lot of questions. My two gorgeous Hatchlings are aged 2 and 4 years old, so asking questions is one of their favourite hobbies. So from time to time I like to hurl a few questions around too, just to even the score a little bit!

A few wintery weeks ago I launched 5 super-tricky questions at the lovely Carla Hazzard from Habitat Baby. She swiftly fired her responses straight back at me.

We both took a breath.

And then we went back to whatever it was we were doing before these 5 Questions @ The Letterbug ever happened. Take a look:

1. What is your favourite thing about winter?

Unwinding with a glass of red in front of the fire, not that I need any excuse for the red (maybe the fire though!).

2. Do your Habitat Baby activities change during the cold months or does business remain fairly consistent throughout the year?

Fairly consistent throughout the year. Having said that November/December are a little busier. Not sure if that has something to do with people wanting to redecorate their rooms for Christmas visitors?

3. Do you have a favourite Habitat Baby product that you can't stop talking about at the moment? Which one and why?

I am incredibly passionate and proud of everything in my two new ranges! But if I had to single out one item, I would have to say the Geo handmade wool rug....its soooo stylish (if I say so myself!).

4. What was the most useful piece of business advice you received when you were setting up Habitat Baby?

It seems really obvious, but do something that you are passionate about. Being really passionate about your products will keep you motivated. Also, I think it is really important to find someone who is business minded that you can bounce ideas off, vent and get support. I have a wonderful friend that I tend to annoy with my ideas, but its nice to get a neutral opinion before you launch with half baked ideas!

5. In a perfect world, would you deal with winter by:

a. escaping to a warm, tropical destintation?
b. Whipping on your ugg boots and snuggling up with a hot chocolate in front of the fire?
c. Launching yourself off a steep snowy inclines with all the other snow bunnies?
d. None of the above, instead I would....?

Definitely C - not sure of the steep inclines though as my skiing is a little rusty! My husband and I are taking the three kids to Canada for Christmas 2012 so I'm busily arranging that at the moment. Can't wait!!

Thanks Carla, you're such a good sport!

Please take a look at Habitat Baby's beautiful new linen range at http://www.habitatbaby.com.au/ immediately, if not sooner. You'll be glad you did!

Jen x

BUG BITS - Little Elk

I'm back!


Like the builder who never manages to do any work to his own house, I have recently been a very naughty and neglectful little Letterbug when it comes to this blog. The good news is that I have been a busy bee on all sorts of interesting writing projects for lots of lovely clients. And now I'm going to get back to telling you about them...


Not so long ago I crossed paths with an exciting new online business called Little Elk. Sally from Little Elk is set to share beautiful, timeless treasures that she has sourced from all over the world. The first of her wonderful discoveries is a range of super-cool kid's gumboots - a highly necessary wardrobe item in Melbourne this winter!!

Sally asked me to write an introductory press release for Little Elk. Here's what we put together:

The joy of working with Sally was her clear vision for Little Elk. Many business owners struggle to define their business. What do they stand for? Who are they targeting? Why are they even in business? Hopefully these sound like pretty straight forward questions to you if you are already in business. But if they don't, it might be time to put your thinking cap on.

Clear business focus cannot be underestimated. I love helping clients to get some 20:20 vision on their business, and I also love working with clients (like Sally) whose vision is already crystal clear.

For more information about Little Elk and their gorgeous gumboots click here.

Jen x

The Letterbug's Picnic

It is busy, busy, busy in The Letterbug's office at the moment. And just like the builder whose house is the last to get finished, my blog is the last to get written when I am booked up with copywriting projects.

But that's okay, because when I need a little pick-me-up I find something like this to share. I remember this clip from my childhood, and now I like to exchange "Ladybug" for "Letterbug" so that the song is all about me!!

If you've ever wondered what The Letterbug Christmas party might look like this year, perhaps it will be something like this. Happy Monday everyone!

Jen x

What do The Letterbug's clients have to say?

It's always weird when you hear people talking about you, isn't it? But in the spirit of sharing I thought it was about time I posted some testimonials about The Letterbug from some of my gorgeous clients...

Thank you Jenny, for all your help and encouragement. You have taken what would have cost me days of procrastination and turned it into a delightful little experience with speedy turn around times. It is SO much easier to have somebody else write about Little Bird instead of me (thank you!). And thanks for the gentle 'shove' as well! I really couldn't have done it without your help... and I find myself smiling every time I hear from you.Magical wishes. Pru x.

Pru Trundle, Little Bird Photography

As a Graphic Designer, to receive perfect copy ready for artwork placement is the best and nobody does it better than Jenny. I recommend her to all my ‘copy-less’ clients and she never lets me down.

Prue Walstab, Gigi and Lulu


Jenny is simply the wordsmith everybody needs, and has become a huge asset to me and my business. I enjoy creative writing, but I find it time consuming, and when you juggle so many hats in running a small business it is one of those tasks that is best to be outsourced.

I thought all my Christmases had come at once when I found Jenny. Not only has she provided me with killer successful press releases, creative wording for brochures, new taglines and advertising blurbs, she has also come along to help me at a trade show! Jenny’ works quickly and efficiently and each time she hits the mark with the job.

- Lisa Koba, Cheeky Little Soles

Jenny was an absolute dream to work with! Being a blogger, I know how to write about weddings but selling myself? That is something I am horrible at! Jenny helped take what was in my head and translate it to an easy to understand format for our existing and potential advertisers. Her quick turn around time, sass and charm will definately have me turn to Jenny when I am next in a pickle!

- Ms Polka, Polka Dot Bride



Aw shucks guys, I love you too!

Jen x

BUG BITS - Little Bird Photography

It's a break from tradition, but I had to show the finished article for this press release, written recently for the beautiful Pru at Little Bird Photography. I don't always get to see where my words end up - the 'finished product' if you like. So when I am lucky enough to see this kind of thing, well, it kind of takes my breath away.

Once the words were on paper, I whisked the finished copy off to Prue from Gigi & Lulu, who has (once again) worked her graphic design magic here:

This is a reminder: Take some time here and there to appreciate what you've achieved. It's great to look ahead to the next goal - the next mountain you want to climb. But once you've reached the summit, take a minute to admire the view before you start abseiling, hang-gliding or bungy jumping off the other side!!

Jen x

Dot's Giggle Spot #10

Busy schedule?
Feeling out of control?
Lots to do and never enough time?

The Letterbug can help you with writing projects big and small, leaving you free to get on with what you do best.


Got a project in mind? Send me your enquiry today!

Jen x

P.S: Hahahaha...heeheehee...hahaha, chuckle, chuckle (snort!).... I love Dot's Giggle Spot!

BUG BITS - Splendid Days

When Union Jack and I got married, our reception was held in a cosy, sparkly, ever-so-slightly-sloping marquee in my big sister's garden. I love nature far more than formality, and I had too many overseas guests staying in my house to start sweating the small stuff - so to me it was perfect.

Ever since that warm February evening six and a half years ago, I have had a soft spot for marquee weddings. The atmosphere in a marquee has an intangible quality that I simply love. So what a truly splendid time I have had recently, when I was lucky enough to work with Grainne Bartholemew, co-founder of the most beautiful luxury marquee hire company ever to come my way - Splendid Days.

There were a number of elements to this project, including proof-reading and editing web copy, writing a press release, editing a sales brochure and writing a promotional email for prospective venue suppliers.

Here is a snip snip of the promotional email:

For more information about the stylish and sophisticated Splendid Days, click here.

How much time do you spend on drafting important emails? Do you spend hours producing a first class press release only to shoot it out to the press with a rushed email message?

Stop!

First impressions count! When communicating with clients (existing or potential), give yourself every chance of success by allowing time to consider your email messages in the same way as you would the documents attached.

Read what you have written OUT LOUD before you hit the 'Send' button. You'll be amazed how many errors you can pick up this way.

Jen x

BUG BITS - Little Bird Photography

The loveliest little bird came my way a few months back - Pru Trundle from Little Bird Photography. Yes, I know - I am desperately behind on my BUG BITS posts. Suddenly I am referring to months ago when it should really be weeks, or even days between BUG BITS. What can I say? My client's projects always come before mine, and my to-do list has been pretty impressive of late!

Aaaanyway, along with Prue from Gigi and Lulu, we updated and refreshed the Little Bird Photography Session Guide.

With a client as delicate and gentle as she is cheeky and full of fun, the copy needed to strike just right balance. I love working with clients that have a very clear sense of who they are, and this was most definitely one of those projects.

Here's a snip:

Providing information and/or giving instructions really doesn't have to be dull and unappetising. With some imagination it is possible to bring light to a subject - a sense of fun amongst the facts, humour and even playfulness!

For more information about the photography I MOST aspire to because it is simply impossible to tear your eyes from it, click here.


I cannot visit this website without the music and images turning me into a smiley happy Letterbug. Go and take a peek!


Jen x

Finding an angle for your promotion

For as far as I can remember, Old Spice was a stinky old man's aftershave. That was until I stumbled across their latest series of advertisements earlier this year. Here is the latest instalment.

I don't know about you, but I'm not thinking about stinky old men's aftershave after watching that!

It just goes to show the impact that finding a new angle for your product can have on its success. Be creative. Think beyond the obvious. Accept no limitations!!

The people at Old Spice clearly did. Hee hee!

Jen x

A very special friend of mine has a new baby. No, not the kind that kind of baby! This baby is a bright shiny new business that she has been working hard to create over recent months.

And it is awesome!

P for Printables is a website that sells beautiful, printable pictures that you can download, stick into a frame and hang on your wall.

Or you could use the picture for a birthday invitation.
Or wrapping paper.
Or to make a card.
Or you could laminate it and use it as a kid's placemat. (My Hatchlings just luuurve their personalised placemats. And when they get a bit 'tired' we just make new placemats with a different theme!)

The possibilities are endless for these gorgeous printables, and I just know that P for Printables is destined for big things.

Congratulations Prue!

Jen x

Grammar by request!

Hello dears! I can't stay today as I am on my way to the over 70's kite-surfing workshop, but I stopped by to make you an offer.

Do you have a grammar question? Do you regularly find yourself in a tangle with a particular word, phrase or puncuation mark? Let Grammar sort it out for you next time she's on the porch here at The Letterbug.


Post a comment (including your question for Grammar) at the end of this post and I will most certainly answer it. You could even win a world famous Letterbug bookmark for your trouble!

I must dash now. Just one jam fancy and I'll be on my way...

Post your question for Grammar on the Porch now!

Are you a Mumpreneur?

I wrote the following post back in August 2009, and given my recent nomination for the 2010 Ausmumpreneur Awards (Best Blog category) I thought it was worth reposting - just in case you missed it the first time. If you are a fan of The Letterbug maybe you'd like to vote for me too! I mean, if you're not busy or anything - you know, it might be cool. I never won that many prizes as a wee thing... Now is my chance to make up for that. It's no big deal. Really. Okay? But just vote so I can pretend not to care for a bit longer!! UPDATE: No need to vote!! An encouraging message is always welcome by way of a blog comment though (hint hint).

I love working with mumpreneurs - love it! Why? Because I get it, I know where mumpreneurs are at. I am right there with them, juggling two pre-school boys, a husband, job, laundry pile and so on.

I cannot overstate the importance of connecting with the people we choose to work with in business. As a copywriter, this connection enables me to truly collaborate with my clients on their copy projects. Our connection means I can't help but keep working until we are both deliriously happy with the final product.

Being a mum of two little people it seems that the connection with other mums in business is almost automatic, instinctive perhaps.

It takes effort, stamina, commitment and vision to be a mumpreneur, and if that is you right now I salute you. You go girl!

Now please excuse me while I go and extract the lego blocks I just watched Hatchling No.2 post into our sub-woofer speaker!

Jen x

Grammar on the Porch #8

Is it just me or do high school English classes slide further and further away with every year? Thank goodness we have "Grammar on the Porch". Good old Grammar loves to visit The Letterbug from time to time for a nice cup of tea and a natter about the English language. She knows you know - really she does. But just in case...

Image kindly supplied by Toni Grote - visit http://www.artisttonigrote.blogspot.com/ to see more of her beautiful artwork.

Good afternoon dears! Forgive any stuttering and stumbling over my words this afternoon, good gracious it is COLD here on the porch today! Grammar was even forced to pop on her thermal underwear, ha ha ha...

Now then, Grammar has just a wee bit more to add from her last visit, when we talked about 'Me' vs. 'I'. If you haven't read Grammar on the Porch #7, it might be worth skipping off to read it now. Just be sure you skip straight back here and continue on once you're done!

'Myself' and 'Yourself'

It may be tempting to avoid the whole puzzle of when to use 'I' and when to use 'me' by simply using 'myself' instead.

E.G. "Please send a menu of your finest cakes and pastries to Grandpa and myself."

Be strong - don't give in to this particular temptation! Grammar's advice is to save your "giving-in-to-temptations" for chocolate, fine wine and custard creams. The sentence written above is grammatically incorrect and can be as bad (if not worse) than getting your 'I's and 'Me's mixed up.

Incorrect: I'll send a menu of our finest cakes and pastries to Grammar and yourself.

Correct: I'll send a menu of our finest cakes and pastries to you and Grammar.

You can use 'myself' and 'yourself' correctly in only two situations:

1. To create emphasis or contrast.

"Grandpa likes lardy cakes for afternoon tea, but I myself prefer a cream bun."

2. When you are doing something to yourself

"I ask myself, why stop at one cream bun when you can eat three?"

"You're making it hard for yourself by using that wobbly old cup and saucer."

So there you have it, another piece in the never-ending puzzle that is "Grammar on the Porch". And it is so brisk out here this afternoon that I think I'll have a piece of warm apple strudel with my cup of tea - mmmmmm.

See you next time!

BUG BITS - Chic Party Boutique

I love birthday parties, I can't help it. For my 26th birthday I had a fairy party simply because I never had one as a child. And I believe every girl should have a fairy party in her lifetime!


You can imagine then, how excited I was when the delightful Nicky from Chic Party Boutique contacted me in search of help with her web copy.


Nicky had come to the fairly common realisation that while we often know what we're trying to say, sometimes it can be really difficult to get the message across clearly. This is especially true when trying to write about our own business - our 'baby' - the thing that we live and breathe every single day. It really shouldn't be so hard, but gee, often it is the HARDEST thing to write about!


So, the brief from Nicky was to write some fun, relaxed and informative copy that was inviting, concise and easy to follow. We worked on copy for her home page, product descriptions, category descriptions and 'About Us' page.


Simply because writing 'About Us' pages is one of my favourite things, here is a snip of what I put together for Chic Party Boutique's 'About Us':

To find out more about the gorgeous stationery available from Chic party Boutique, click here.

Have you looked at your web copy with fresh eyes lately? Is it fresh, up to date and full of life? Would a new visitor to your site feel like they're visiting a vibrant hub or a ghost town?


If it's time to give your web copy a boost but you're not sure how, send me an email - I can help!

Jen x

The Letterbug in the Press

If there's one thing I love doing, it is helping other women succeed in business. Hooray for the Mumpreneurs of the world!!

As you can imagine, I was thrilled to be interviewed by our local newspaper (The Manningham Leader) last week about the Manningham Women's Business Network. As a member of this network I get to meet a wonderful group of local businesswomen every month. We take a couple of hours to network over coffee, share our insights and expertise, and learn from a variety of guest speakers.

I have to admit, the offer of a couple of kid-free hours at the start of every month is a pretty big draw card too!

I've agonised for a couple of days over whether to draw attention to The Letterbug's first appearance in The Leader. Dot and I are not ones to brag - really. This morning I put on my brave trousers and decided to go for it - so here's the article (and photo) in all its glory:



To find the full newspaper, click here.

FYI, my hair didn't look nearly so messy when I left home that morning, and the coffee on the table in front of me was SPECTACULAR!!

Jen x

Grammar on the Porch #7

Is it just me or do high school English classes slide further and further away with every year? Thank goodness we have "Grammar on the Porch". Good old Grammar loves to visit The Letterbug from time to time for a nice cup of tea and a natter about the English language. She knows you know - really she does. But just in case...

Image kindly supplied by Toni Grote - visit http://www.artisttonigrote.blogspot.com/ to see more of her beautiful artwork.

'Me' vs. 'I'?

Good afternoon dears, it's lovely to see you again. Today I'm going to tell you about me...

I...

Me...

Here is the point: Do you ever stumble when it comes to writing (or talking) about yourself in a way that is grammatically correct? Let's set the record straight on the use of "me" versus "I" once and for all.

As a child I was often scolded for referring to "Me and Mummy", or "Me and Billy". My mother would remind me, "It is 'Mummy and I', not 'Me and Mummy' dear." So successful was my mother at teaching me this, that I came to believe that "I" was almost always a better option than "me" if ever I was unsure.

The truth is that each of these delightful little pronouns has their rightful place in the English language. Let Grammar show you...

INCORRECT: Please deliver an extra large jar of strawberry conserve to Grandpa and I.

CORRECT: Please deliver an extra large jar of strawberry conserve to Grandpa and me.

How do you check whether your sentence is correct? EASY!

Simply remove the other person or people in the sentence and read it again. The answer should be clear.

Please deliver an extra large jar of strawberry conserve to [remove "Grandpa and"] I.

INCORRECT: Please deliver an extra large jar of strawberry conserve to I.

CORRECT: Please deliver an extra large jar of strawberry conserve to me.

And there you have it dears, another of life's grammatical stumbling blocks cleared up in a matter of minutes. Now speaking of strawberry conserve, does anyone else have a hankering for a lovely Devonshire tea.

Scones anyone?

The Letterbug and The Butterfly Ball

Yesterday I fulfilled a childhood dream. It sounds like a grand statement, but as grand as it sounds, it is absolutely true!

Nothing filled my preschool heart with joy more than catching the following clip every now and then in between Sesame Street and Playschool on ABC television. For anyone who was a young whipper snapper back in the late 70's and early 80's, I hope you enjoy reliving the magic of The Butterfly Ball!!

There are so many parts of this clip that I loved as a child (and still love now). The frogs shiny black eyes, the badger (dressed as a stork) marching with dead-straight stilt legs, and the fireflies dancing at the very end are just a few highlights for me.

I know it's drawing a long bow, but I figured I could get away with posting The Butterfly Ball here - me being The Letterbug and all. I think I've just found my Letterbug theme song...

Did you love The Butterfly Ball too? What is your favourite part? Leave a comment below and tell me all about it. Excuse me, I've got to go and watch it again - man that frog could sing!!

Jen x

PS: All you need is love and understanding, ring the bell and let the people know!

BUG BITS - White Soda

As the chilly weather takes over Melbourne it is hard to imagine we will ever have a need for swimwear again. But with only five weeks until the shortest day of the year, I'm confident we'll be charging headlong towards another scorching Australian summer before we know it.

Two people who are already totally prepared for summer 2011 are the gorgeous Romi and Danielle from White Soda. I recently wrote White Soda's latest press release for these two lovely ladies. The release features White Soda's latest fresh and colourful children's swimwear collection for summer 2011. I couldn't help but be inspired by the gorgeous designs and wonderfully enticing product names that capture the essence of long hot summer days.

Here's a snippety-snip :

To learn more about the super stylish swimwear available from White Soda, click here.

It is so important to think ahead when it comes to PR. Don't wait for the weather to start warming up before thinking about your summer campaign! Don't wait for tinsel and holly to be on display before you start work on your Christmas campaign!

Working six months ahead means you can be sending the right information to the right people at the right time to give you and your business the best chance of success.

Need help writing your next press release/bio/media kit? Send me an email and let's get started!

Jen x