#today i was honoured to experience writing while listening to music through headphones

[witch128chick]

I decided it was time to share another one of my works with the world

A spin-off fic, focused on our goofballs <3

[h-styles-babes]

TEN

It was no surprise to Sia that she practically bawled her eyes out while confessing everything to Mitch that afternoon. When her first tears had spilt, before she’d even got to her explanation, Mitch had taken her hand and stood her from the rolling chair she was sitting in. She’d willingly followed him to the couch that was set up against the far wall. He’d tugged her down beside him and let her keep a clutch of his hand. He sensed that she needed all the support she could get, and it holding her hand was enough for her, he’d let her squeeze the shit out of it all she wanted. He really wanted to offer her a glass of scotch on the rocks, since that was what this conversation called for, but it was only half noon, and it seemed a bit inappropriate when she was essentially still on the clock.

It took Sia nearly a half hour to spew out the whole devastating tale from start to end in a way that would connect for Mitch. She had to take multiple breaks to clear her eyes and blow her nose, but they’d become useless in the next few seconds, as her body readily produced more snot and tears. It seemed futile, but Mitch kept handing her tissues from the box on the table beside him, tightening his grip on her hand when he felt she needed that extra comfort. Mitch didn’t seem like much of a hugger or cuddler, so Sia was surprised when he slung his arm around her shoulder after freeing it from her grip, and pulled her body into his, guiding her to rest her head against his chest. He was skinny, so his chest was less comforting than she was used to, but she readily absorbed his comfort and warmth and used it to strengthen her resolve in telling him the whole morbid thing.

When she’d gotten out all she needed to, he just let her cry, rubbing soothing circles on her back as her whole body shuddered. Mitch couldn’t recall a time that he’d seen someone so emotionally tormented. He understood now why it was that Sia seemed so hostile toward Harry. And while he’d felt the need to remind her that she couldn’t really hold it against him because he didn’t know, Sia expressed it herself. She knew it was irrational to take the crushing sense of loss and anger at what had happened out on her ex-boyfriend simply for the fact that he hadn’t been there. No part of her clearly-thinking mind wanted to continue that behaviour, but emotions weren’t controlled by that part of her brain. Her emotions were raw and unfiltered and she honestly couldn’t help the visceral reaction her experience caused her to continue to have. She’d spoken at length with her therapist about it, and while she’d learned some coping techniques, the root of the problem still remained: she hadn’t told Harry. Both Sia and her therapist were pretty sure it was still a long way coming before that would happen, but she felt she was one step closer everyday that she was around him. Today had been a setback, but she was hoping it wouldn’t halt her progress completely. She needed closure too much to allow this to stop her from reclaiming her happiness.

Sia did her best to clean herself up before everyone was due back from lunch. She was starving, but she was just going to wait until they broke for the day to eat now, since she’d spent her lunch break letting her sorrows out onto her new friend. She apologised to Mitch about making him miss his lunch, which he’d shrugged off. She went to restroom attached to her room and applied concealer and reapplied her mascara that she’d cried off in order to have some semblance of composure when she had to face everyone again.

There was a knock on her bedroom door just as she was exiting the restroom, so she quickly went to open it.

Mitch was standing on the other side, a cup of tea in one hand—chai, she identified just from the smell—and a plate with two bagels with cream cheese in the other. She nearly started crying from his thoughtfulness. Her emotions were still raw, evidently.

“You’re too sweet,” she cooed, taking the mug from him so he didn't have to balance both things on their way back to the studio.

He flashed her a soft smile, a bit shy around the edges. “What are friends for?”

She gripped at his shoulder with her free hand and pulled him into her to give him a brief but meaningful hug. “I’m really glad we met, Mitch.”

His smile was larger this time, and he led her back into the studio, where everyone acted like a near blow out hadn’t happened just an hour before.

~*~*~*~

It was another two days before Sia and Harry talked to each other outside of the studio, and even there, their words were strictly for work purposes, only. Sia would suggest something about arrangement of instruments or a possible timing change for songs that seemed a bit too upbeat for the lyrical content. Harry would politely ask her to make the changes so he could listen, and then they’d all decide what the best route to take was for the song. It was civil and easy, since this was what both of them were most passionate about, but there was always an underlying sense of unease and tension between them, even when Harry would offer her a polite smile for her hard work.

It was strange, to say the least.

On Thursday, they broke early since they’d gotten a lot done, but they were a bit stagnant on one song that Harry had mostly recorded. He was unsure how he wanted the song to progress and felt that it was missing something, but he had listened to it too many times to actually put his finger on what it was that it was lacking. Sia and the rest of the technicians were at a loss too, so they’d called it quits just after three o’clock, promising to listen back with fresh ears the next day.

Sia, however, thought she was onto something with the song, and was unwilling to just abandon it for the day, afraid that it would evade her the next morning. So, she stuck around in the studio after everyone trickled out. Mitch hung back and asked her if she was alright, but when she told him it was just work related and she was fine, he’d nodded with a smile and left her on her own.

She took the time to play the entirety of what they already had recorded listening to it all the way through twice before she realised it needed something underlaying it in the background. It needed to be quiet but present, just enough to drive the song forward but not overrun the melodic qualities of Harry’s voice.

With sudden urgency, she grabbed the laptop she had been making the arrangement on and went into the booth. She picked up the headphones and adjusted the microphone to better suit her height. She pressed play on the track she already had set up and sat in the booth for a good half an hour, recording her own voice to underly Harry’s on the track, hoping to get it perfect to give the song that little bit more that it needed. Her vocals were barely noticeable under Harry’s in the chorus, but it gave it all a sweet note that she’d realised they’d been missing. She made a note to have Harry stack some vocals with hers, as well, to make it more cohesive. She also recorded ascending notes to fill in the pause before the bridge, hoping to make it flow in a way that everyone had thought it had been lacking.

When Sia felt that she had enough to at least take to Harry the next day for a suggestion, she took the headphones off and pushed the microphone back out of the way. She was just closing her laptop when she realised there was a person on the other side of the glass that separated the recording booth from the control room.

Harry met Sia’s eyes, and when he realised the look he saw there was one of shock and embarrassment, he flashed her what he hoped came across as a reassuring smile. He pushed a button and leaned in closer to the mic on his side to tell her, “Yeh know I’ve always loved your voice. No need to be embarrassed.”

He saw Sia huff before she came out of the booth, rounding the corner and playfully rolling her eyes at him. He was glad she seemed to be in a good mood compared to how tense all their interactions had been lately. It was a nice change from the absolute shit show their recording session had been just a few days earlier.

“I was just tryin’ to figure out what to add to this song. Think it worked out pretty well,” she told him. She placed the laptop on the control set up in front of them and pressed play on what she’d recorded. She skipped ahead to the parts where it was relevant, and watched anxiously as Harry listened for the first time.

Sia had always been astounded at what an ear Harry had for music. What she had studied at uni for years, he was able to do with just his experience in the industry. It had always been amazing to watch him work, whether it be writing or recording, and being a part of the production of his first solo album was an honour, despite how contentious it had been up to that point. Harry had an innate sense of when something was good, and it was a thing to behold.

So, it was with bated breath that Sia watched as Harry listened to the changes she had made. It wasn’t until nearly the end of the song that a smile pulled at his lips and he turned to look at her.

“It’s really good. I like that a lot.”

Sia raised her eyebrows. “Really?”

“Yeah. I think that’s what was missing.”

Sia finally smiled at him. “Alright. Thanks.”

And that smile meant more to Harry than Sia would ever know.

~*~*~*~

Later that evening, after Sia had reemerged from the studio in order to fix herself some dinner, she returned to her room to take a shower. The humidity in Jamaica had her in a perpetual state of gross and sticky, and it was requiring showers nearly twice a day. Not to mention the havoc it was wreaking on her hair was more than annoying. She couldn’t imagine what it would be like for someone with textured hair. Harry’s short hair made it manageable but she was sure it would have been a riotous mess if it was still long.

Sia took her time too deep clean her hair and exfoliate and shave and all those things girls always want to have time to do in the shower but never really get a chance to do. She was just stepping out, with a towel already wrapped around her hair, when there was a knock at her door.

“Yeah?” she called out, wrapping another towel under her arms. She was assuming it was Mitch, possibly coming to suggest they go out on the sand and have a bonfire or hang out on the patio with a beer or glass of wine.

However, she was surprised when her door opened, revealing Harry’s aforementioned flouncy head of curls, his eyes peeking in around the door. When his and Sia’s eyes met, they both widened, realising the precariousness of this situation. Harry seemed to come to his senses first, quickly trying to backpedal.

“Sorry,” he quickly said, fumbling to try to exit the room, walking backwards.

Sia caught sight of the mugs in his hands, the things that were making it specifically hard for him to back out of the room.

“Did yeh bring tea for me?” she asked, making him stop his awkward struggle.

“Uh…yeah. It’s that chai one from Clipper yeh always liked. Know it’s hard to find in America,” he said, slowly inching back into the room, dutifully locking his eyes in on her face. He didn’t want to screw up this new lighter civil interaction between them by letting his eyes wander over her nearly naked body. It was obviously nothing he hadn’t seen before but he didn’t want to make her uncomfortable by looking at her for too long.

“Oh my god, yeh serious? Don’t leave with that tea, Styles. Bring it in.”

If Harry was surprised by her invitation to stay and bring her the tea, he didn’t show it. He walked in and gently closed the door behind him, leaving it open just a crack to not make Sia feel like he was blocking her in or anything. He was aware of how great of an opportunity this was, considering they’d been at each other’s throats for the last two weeks and hadn’t spoken to each other since about a month after their break up. He wasn’t going to intentionally do anything to make her more uncomfortable than she already probably was or upset her in anyway, since she seemed to have a pretty short fuse these days. He came here with a peace offering. Making her angry would be counterproductive.

“Hope yeh still like your chai with a splash of soy milk. I made it before I realised it’s been nearly a year since I’ve made it for yeh,” Harry commented as he walked to the bedside table. He heard Sia walk into the small walk-in closet and figured he’d keep his back turned in order to give her a little bit of privacy.

“Don’t think any of my likes have changed in only a year, Styles,” she called back to him, quickly stepping into a pair of sleep shorts. She was apprehensive about Harry showing up here out of the blue, but she was going to take this as the opportunity to call a truce with him. Ellen and Mitch were right: It was time to make the amends that she could so she could start fully healing. She wasn’t prepared to tell him everything, but hopefully this was the first step she needed to take in order to move forward.

“Except for your like of guys named Harry Styles,” Harry scoffed, mostly joking. He knew he had no right to be bitter, but her abhorrence of him hurt in a way that he couldn’t fully describe and definitely wouldn’t admit to to anyone but himself.

“No offense, but yeh brought that one on yourself,” she called back. She’d finally slipped a shirt on over her head, so she emerged from the closet to see Harry sitting gently on the edge of her bed.

She took her hair out of the towel on her head and shook it out with her fingers, tossing the town onto the edge of the bathtub.

Harry sighed and watched as she walked over to join him, picking up the mug he offered her before taking a seat more toward the middle of the bed, folding her legs under her.

“I know. And that’s kinda why I’m here,” he told her. He waited until she took a sip of her own tea to pick up his own. He nearly smiled at the little satisfied grin she got after she swallowed but figured she’d find it weird that he was watching her that closely.

Sia raised her eyebrows at him. “To discuss why you’re not my favourite person at the moment? Kinda masochistic, Harry.”

He snorted. “Not like that. I just…wanted to say that I’m sorry for snappin’ at yeh the other day. I shouldn’t have done that in front of everyone. Or at all.”

Sia smirked at him over the rim of her cup. “Kinda deserved it. I knew I was pokin’ at all your buttons. I should’ve known better.” Her smirk dropped and she sighed. “I’m sorry, too. I shouldn’t’ve done that. Yeh don’t deserve it and it was incredibly unprofessional.”

“Jeff wasn’t happy with either of us, but I begged him off. Told him we’d get our shit together.” Harry took another sip of his tea. “I don’t blame yeh for buggin’ me like that. May not have done it very nicely, but it was actually sound professional advice. Jeff just doesn’t want this to escalate to something that jeopardises the production schedule. I promised him it wouldn’t.”

“If he’d talk to me, I’d promise the same.” She scowled down into her tea. “Guess we know Jeff is the type to take sides. At least Ben is still actin’ neutral.”

“He’s my manager, Sia. It’s not personal. He’s actually been askin’ after yeh. Wants to make sure you’re okay, but he’s afraid of upsettin’ yeh.”

“Well, let him know I won’t bite his head off. And I promise not to create any more trouble.”

“Then can we promise each other to put all our personal bullshit aside? Just for now, at the very least. I realise callin’ this truce doesn’t fix everything, but I just wanna get rid of the tension for now. So, if we could just tentatively be work friends, I would love it and really appreciate it.”

The way he was gazing at her, with those bright green eyes, all pleading and sparkling, it made her heart skip just like it always had when they were together. They were entirely too pretty for his own good, and she knew that nearly every person he’d come across had fallen sweet victim to that gaze. It was hypnotising and captivating. It could get him whatever he wanted, but Harry was too good a person to use it to his advantage.

Damn him for hurting her, but he was a one in a billion type of person.

“Yeah. I’d really like that,” she agreed. She flashed him a small smile that Harry hesitantly reciprocated. She chuckled at his apprehension. “I promise, Harry. We can deal with all our ‘personal bullshit’ after we’ve produced a kickass record. So, as long as we’ve agreed, we act like friends and get this done. Then, when it’s over, we can deal with…everything. If we’re feelin’ up to it.”

“I never wanted us to end up like this, Sia.”

The tears that swam in Harry’s eyes had a lump forming in Sia’s throat. She had to cough to clear it.

She nodded. “I know, Harry. I know.”

[muzaffar1969]

http://ift.tt/eA8V8J

Just ‘cause mum is a lovely lady doesn’t mean she always wants flowers and chocolates on Mother’s Day. And breakfast in bed is also well and good, but mums love the tech stuff, too.So treat Mum to a new gadget that will send her spiralling into the digital age or will give her the edge she needs to morph into a supermum.

The best tech doesn’t always have to burn a hole in your pocket either: with this guide, TechRadar’s Aussie team has scoured the realm for some of the coolest gadgets with the fairest price tags so you can treat your tech-loving mum to some amazing new gear.

For the snap-happy mum

Fujifilm Instax Mini 8 ($88): Give mum the opportunity to capture her favourite memories instantly. Available in five fun colours – white, blue, pink, yellow and black – the Instax Mini 8 is cute and easy to use, producing those special images on the spot. So treat mum to a bit of compact cuteness with one of these from Digital Camera Warehouse for just $88.

Canon PowerShot G9 X ($468.64): It’s got style, it’s slim and slips into a pocket or handbag quite easily. It takes great pictures and follows the kids around with superfast autofocus. There’s built-in Wi-Fi and a touch-sensitive screen. If you think it’s something mum would like, you can get it from Kogan for $468.64.

HP Sprocket ($199): If mum already has a camera she loves, let her level it up with the ability to print her photos wherever and whenever she wants. This smartphone-sized portable printer from HP creates 2 x 3-inch prints or stickers. The HP Sprocket app can even be used to print images posted on social media, plus the photos can be jazzed up with borders, emojis and filters. It connects via Bluetooth and requires no ink cartridge. It’s available for $199 from HP.

Canon SELPHY CP1200 printer ($135): If the smaller photo prints that the HP Sprocket produces don’t appeal, mum might like the flexibility of the Canon SELPHY CP1200, which gives her the option of printing different sizes. The 4 x 6 prints are even waterproof! Mum can even get creative with built-in filters. Get it for $135 from Digital Camera Warehouse.

For the communicative mum

Moto G5 Plus (from $399): Does your mum need a new phone to stay in touch with friends and family? Motorola’s Moto G5 Plus is its latest ‘budget flagship’ and has a premium build, great specs and all without a painful price tag. It’s available in the 3GB RAM/16GB storage configuration for $399 at Harvey Norman. If you’re after the roomier 4GB RAM/32GB configuration, the only current option is picking it up at the Motorola store for $449 where you also have the option of both gold and grey finishes.

Oppo R9s ($597): This is another great option if you’re looking for a smartphone on a budget. Not only does it come packing some exceptional specs, it also features the Beautify 4.0 software for creating the most flattering selfies imaginable. And it charges lightning quick too. It’s a phone with a premium feel sans the price tag. It’s a great gift that’s available at OfficeWorks for $597.

Samsung Galaxy S8 ($949): If price isn’t an issue, you could spoil mum rotten this Mother’s Day by getting her the latest flagship from Samsung. We think it’s a superb phone, offering a great user experience and a gorgeous and large screen. It retails for $1,199, but you save a bit by ordering it from Tandy.com.au for $949.

Apple iPhone 7 Plus ($1,299): If mum isn’t too keen on an Android phone, you can always surprise her with Apple’s iPhone 7 Plus, with its dual rear cameras, great performance and solid battery life. Along with the great phone, give mum the luxury of oodles of storage. You can save $120 by getting the 128GB iPhone 7 Plus from the Vaya Handset Store for $1,299.

Moto G4 Play ($199): If you don’t have masses of cash to splash on your mum but still want show your love for her with a new handset, the Moto G4 Play is a great budget option. It’s a phone that wants to have some fun and it’s hard to not be impressed by the powerful and bright Moto G4 Play, especially when it’s available for just $199 at Tandy.

For the fit mum

Fitbit accessories: Nothing says “I love you, Mum” like some jewellery, but you can also add the encouragement to live a healthier lifestyle and show her how much you care. Fitbit trackers have a range of accessories that’s great looking jewellery and they come in simple designs like the bracelets for the Flex 2, available at Harvey Norman starting at $168, or the lariat to wear as a necklace from $128, to the beautifully designed and fancy accessories from FUNKtionalWearables available on Etsy that’ll suit every budget.

Apple Watch (from $399): Your mum’s wrist deserves the best companion and the Apple Watch is the best smartwatch you can buy right now. She can take calls, answer texts and maintain a fit lifestyle, among other things, with this smart little gadget that’s easily customisable, has great performance and looks pretty darn neat too. The Apple Watch is available through the Apple Store starting at $399.

Misfit Ray ($139.95): If mum’s been wanting to start a fitness regime and needs something to monitor her progress, the Misfit Ray is a great budget option that does just that – tracks steps and sleep, buzzes to remind her to move and silently wakes her up in the morning to get breakfast ready. And its strange design looks surprisingly good on the wrist, too. It’s available for $139.95 at David Jones.

Fitbit Flex 2 ($74): It’s the tracker that started it all, now in its latest incarnation. Not only can mum keep tabs on the number of steps she take each day and track her sleep, she can even jump into the pool with this sleek band on your wrist. Right now, it’s down to an excellent $74 at JB Hi-Fi, saving you $75 on the RRP of $149.

For the hardworking mum

iPad Pro 9.7 ($889): If mum’s a bit of a workaholic and needs to get work done while on the move, then the iPad Pro is the best tablet for the job. The smaller screen and powerful innards ensure that the job gets done without being cumbersome. Along with the Smart Keyboard and the Apple Pencil, it’s the perfect companion for the palm or the bag. And the 32GB version of this efficient piece of gadgetry is available via Vaya’s online store for $889 outright. All you need to go is make a colour choice that mum would like.

Microsoft Surface Pro 4 (from $899): Is your mum the creative type? Then you could consider gifting her “the tablet that can replace a laptop”. The 12-inch Microsoft Surface Pro 4 features a high resolution PixelSense Display and has been designed for portability and performance. With prices starting at $899, it’s the perfect gift to get mum’s creative juices flowing.

Livescribe 3 Smartpen ($249): The pen is mightier than the keyboard. Designed to take the pain out of digitising, archiving and sharing handwritten notes and sound recordings, its wide-ranging capabilities should appeal to many, from note-taking business people to list-scribbling shoppers. Although, it has to be noted, that with this latest version, digitisation can only happen if Livescribe’s proprietary dotted paper is used. You can grab one from OfficeWorks for $249.

Wacom Bamboo Spark ($134): This smart notebook will let mum leave hand-written notes for the family that never get lost, being safely stored in the cloud. The Bamboo Spark is for the note makers who still enjoy writing with a pen. It comprises a smart pen and pad that, with the push of a button, converts handwriting into 'living' digital files. The Wacom Inkspace app can then organise, edit and share musings and sketches with the world or just the family. And it’s available from Harris Technology for $134.

For the musically oriented mum

Ruark Audio R1 tabletop radio ($399): Oozing old-world charm, this tabletop digital radio is a must-have. It’s encased in either walnut veneer or black and white lacquer and easily plays the numerous pre-loaded radio channels or can stream Spotify playlists via Bluetooth. This elegant device retails for $399 at NAPF Electronics.

UE Boom 2 ($179): Give mum the ability to listen to music while she’s pottering away in the kitchen or the garden. One of the best Bluetooth speakers available today is Logitech’s Ultimate Ears Boom 2. It’s the 360-degrees wireless speakers with a powerful bass that features Siri and Google Now voice integration. Officeworks does stock these audio powerhouses for $179 in Tropical, Phantom Black, Brainfreeze Blue and Cherry Bomb Red.

Bose QuietComfort 25 wireless on-ear headphones ($319.20): With exemplary sound quality and equally excellent ambient noise cancellation, the QC25 will suit the serious or the casual listener, providing a wonderfully immersive experience when watching movies or TV shows, playing games or just listening to tunes. It also carries a premium price tag of $399, but get it for mum from the Microsoft Store for $319.20 and save nearly $80.

Beats Solo 2 wireless on-ear headphones ($299.25): Great sound and chic style come together in this set of headphones from Beats by Dre. It’s comfortable and will leave mum foot-tapping as she listens to her favourite music. And, in honour of Mother’s Day 2017, Microsoft is offering a saving of nearly $100 on these premium headphones, so get them now for $299.25, down from $399.

For the globetrotting mum

Tile (from $37): If mum is constantly on the move and, as a consequence, misplacing keys, money, bags and whatnot, this little white square will help her keep tabs on misplaced items via Bluetooth and a companion app. It’s slim, it’s waterproof and it sticks onto any item or attaches to a key ring. It’s a great gift idea on a budget and a single Tile is a cheap $37 at Catch of the Day, while a four-pack is neat $118.

Mighty Purse (from $80): If you’d like to keep mum charged up through the day as she goes about doing her thing, then the leather bags from Mighty Purse will do the trick. Bags range from about $80 to $170 (or you could find an item on sale for cheaper) and they all come with a slimline battery to charge a smartphone.

Dell Power Companion PW7015M portable charger ($179): Portable chargers can be super handy if you need to juice-up your gadgets while you’re on the go – but most don’t support devices like laptops. The Dell Power Companion solves that issue – it comes with both the large and small Dell power tips (and charges from either) – or there is also a USB-C version. It’s intended for Dell laptops, but any USB-C-enabled device can also be topped up. The 12,000mAh version is available from Dell for $179.

For the book-loving mum

Amazon Kindle Paperwhite ($181.80): If your mum loves to read, give her the convenience of carrying her entire library around with her. The latest version of the Kindle Paperwhite is the best yet. With Wi-Fi and 3G connectivity globally, downloading books anywhere is a breeze. The screen light is easily adjusted to suit the reading environment and the battery generally lasts a few weeks between charges, even with the light on. And it’s the most cost-effective Kindle too, available for a wallet-friendly $181.80 from T-Dimension.

Kobo Aura H2O and Aura One (from $258.51): If your mother prefers to read where it’s nice and quiet, taking her books to the bath might be her way of relaxing. Or perhaps she loves to laze on the beach with her favourite read. If that’s the case, the dust- and waterproof Kobo Aura H2O is the perfect reading platform. With speedy page turns and long battery life, it’s just like reading a book, and you can lay your hands on one for $258.51 on Kogan. You could even consider gifting them the Kobo Aura One, which has a larger, beautiful screen and a high-quality reading experience. You can get the Aura One from Mighty Ape for $349.

Kindle Unlimited membership ($13.99): Give your book-loving mum the gift that keeps on giving. Kindle Unlimited offers over a million titles to read for a monthly fee of $13.99 after a 30 day free trial period – that’s less than the price of your average bookstore purchase.

Audible membership ($14.95): This Mother’s Day gift will provide your mum with a different way to enjoy books. This Amazon-owned services lets you listen to audiobooks on your smartphone or tablet and carry around a library wherever you go – on the commute to work, on school runs, while shopping or in the kitchen. Audible offers a free month-long service to all new customers, followed by a $14.95 monthly subscription cost.

For the pampered mum

Dyson Supersonic hair dryer ($499): This gift has ‘pampered’ written all over it. We tested it and we think there’s nothing better to use to get mum’s luscious locks dried and looking shiny. So if you’ve got the extra change and a need to spoil mum this Mother’s Day, get her the Dyson Supersonic hair dryer from David Jones for $499.

For the homemaker mum

Google Chromecast 2 ($55): Let mum get cosy on the couch and stream some of her favourite TV shows and movies. The Chromecast is one of the best media streamers available today and it’s great value for money. For a neat $55, you can get the Chromecast 2 at OfficeWorks and mum can get her streamed entertainment straight to her TV.

Parrot Flower Power ($89.99): If mum’s got green fingers and loves to tend her garden, you could help her keeps tab on her plants by getting this plant monitor. She just has to stick the device into the soil and connect via a smartphone app. She’ll be notified when her plants need watering and everything else she needs to know about over 7,000 different plants. It’s available for $89.99 from Mighty Ape in either blue or brown.

For the gourmet mum

Cuisinart popcorn maker ($75): Available for just under $75 from Kitchen Warehouse, Cuisinart’s EasyPop hot air popcorn maker not only looks cool (in red), but can make up to ten cups of popcorn in three minutes. It doesn’t even need any oil, so it’s the perfect accompaniment for those home-based movie date nights.

DeLonghi Icona Pump Espresso ($238): Want to treat mum to lazy mornings? You’ll need the DeLonghi Icona Pump Espresso coffee maker that features a self-priming system to ensure the device is always ready for use. It takes both ground coffee and pods and mixes steam and air for the perfect cappuccino. Available in bright red, and perfect for that Mother’s Day breakfast cuppa, this coffee maker is available online for $238 at Billy Guyatts.

Panasonic SD-2501 bread maker ($199): Gifting mum with this bread maker from Panasonic will not only ensure your family constantly has freshly-baked bread on the table, it can even make you jam! There are over 12 baking programs to choose from with an automatic nut and raisin dispenser. It also has a very budget price tag of $199 at Harvey Norman.

Breville BKE825 smart kettle ($122): Mum love her morning and afternoon cuppa? Then she would love this smart kettle that features five different temperature settings for the perfect brew, including a ‘keep warm’ option. It’s available for $122 at Billy Guyatts.

May 03, 2017 at 09:39AM http://ift.tt/2pv0rGw from Sharmishta Sarkar http://ift.tt/2pv0rGw