The Coffee Apple

ONE DAY AT A TIME- The rain is falling.

It’s cold, grey and wet outside.

But in here it’s warm.

It’s bright.

It’s colourful.

It’s home.

As I stand at the front door of The Coffee Apple tonight, listening to the music playing softly in the background and the swish of car tyres on the wet road outside, I’m reminded just how much this little shop means to me.

The smiling faces.

The conversations.

The children who have grown up coming through these doors.

The friendships.

The community.

The countless moments that have unfolded here over the years.

I confess the last few weeks haven’t been easy.

I’ve been a little quieter than usual on social media.

Sometimes life asks more of than I feel ready to give.

Sometimes I question whether I’m strong enough.

Sometimes I need to remind myself that it’s okay not to be okay.

There are seasons for everything.

This is one of those harder seasons.

Today I attended the funeral of a much-loved family member. Listening to stories of a life lived fully reminded me of something important.

Life is extraordinary.

Not because it is always easy.

Not because everything goes to plan.

But because it is made up of ordinary moments that become extraordinary when we look back on them.

A community that shows up when you need it.

A little toy shop that somehow becomes part of people’s lives.

As I looked out tonight, I watched the rain shining under the station lights. Water running through the gutters. One brave soul walking past with an umbrella who looked up and flashed me the biggest smile.

And I smiled back.

Because despite everything, I’m glad I haven’t given up.

I’ve learned a lot here.

I still have a lot more to learn.

And tonight, more than anything, I’m grateful.

Grateful for this community.

Grateful for the people who continue to walk through these doors.

Grateful for hope.

Sometimes hope is not a grand thing.

Sometimes it’s simply deciding to keep going, one day at a time.

❤️ Helen

Today I’m attending a funeral.

It’s one of those days where family comes first, but as a small business owner there’s always that little worry in the back of your mind about opening the doors.

Thankfully, I have a village.

While I’m away today, the wonderful Carolyn has stepped in to keep The Coffee Apple open. Carolyn lives and breathes Ringwood East. She loves this community, supports local businesses and, without hesitation, offered to help.

Small business is often portrayed as one person standing alone, but the truth is we survive because of the people around us.

Friends who step up.
Customers who support us.
Neighbours who check in.
Community members who quietly help carry the load when life gets difficult.

Today I’m feeling incredibly grateful.

The Coffee Apple is open today thanks to Carolyn, and I’m reminded once again just how lucky I am to be part of a community that genuinely cares for one another.

Thank you, Carolyn. 💕🌸

And thank you to everyone who continues to support small business in Ringwood East. It means more than you know.

Today I’ll spend time with my family, I’m looking through old family photos ahead of a funeral.

One image stopped me.

I realised that even as a little girl, I bit my lip when I was worried.

For a moment it made me smile.

I’ve spent years thinking that resilience, determination, responsibility and carrying the weight of difficult situations were things I learned along the way.

Then I looked at that photo.

The truth is, some parts of us have been there from the beginning.

That little girl had no idea what lay ahead. She didn’t know about business ownership, community advocacy, raising children, construction projects, hardship, leadership, loss, or the countless challenges life would place in front of her.

But she already knew how to keep standing in uncertain moments.

Looking through old family photos is a reminder that we don’t become completely different people as we grow older. We carry pieces of our younger selves with us.

Sometimes it’s a smile.

Sometimes it’s a habit.

Sometimes it’s the quiet determination to keep moving forward when things feel difficult.

Today, I looked at an old photo and realised that little girl and I have more in common than I ever understood.

🚂✨ An Experiment in Imagination… ✨🚂 One of the things I hear from parents and grandparents all the time is:

“They are always on technology….”

And honestly, I understand.

So I’m trying something a little different... an experiment!

These play tables aren’t here to be bought or sold. In fact, the toys belong to my own children and have been loved, played with and well travelled over many years.

They’re here for a different reason.

They’re here to spark imagination.

To invite curiosity.

To encourage children to stop for a moment and ask:

“What happens next?”

Will the train stop at the station?

Who is waiting for the ferry?

Where is Thomas heading today?

What adventure is about to begin?

Perhaps more importantly, these tables create something else.

Conversations.

Children meeting for the first time.

Problem solving.

Storytelling.

Negotiation.

Even the occasional disagreement about who gets to drive the train! 😄

Today I’ll be adding a little more to the tables because I already have a few new ideas.

This is very much an experiment, and I’m genuinely curious to see where it leads.

Because sometimes all it takes is a simple invitation to play for imagination to come rushing back. 💛

What do you think? If your child stopped at this table, what story do you think they would create?

📍The Coffee Apple Toy Shop
20 Railway Avenue, Ringwood East

ChildhoodUnplugged EducationalToys OpenEndedPlay LetsPlay

A tiny customer stopped in for fun,
Then left their drink bottle when the play was done. 😊

It’s purple and bright with a butterfly too,
And it’s waiting safely here in case it belongs to you!

📍 The Coffee Apple Toy Shop, Railway Avenue, Ringwood East

ShopLocal 💜🦋

RINGWOOD EAST TOY SHOP (VIC) - 𝑫𝒐 𝒚𝒐𝒖 𝒏𝒆𝒆𝒅 𝒂 𝒒𝒖𝒊𝒄𝒌 𝒑𝒓𝒆𝒔𝒆𝒏𝒕? 𝑫𝒐𝒏’𝒕 𝒘𝒐𝒓𝒓𝒚 𝒘𝒆 𝒄𝒂𝒏 𝒉𝒆𝒍𝒑! We can even gift wrap, write on the card AND post the presents on your behalf AUSTRALIA WIDE!🎁🎁🎁🥳🥳🥳 www.thecoffeeapple.com.au
Click & Collect or come visit us in-store!

RINGWOOD EAST TOY SHOP (VIC) - 𝑫𝒐 𝒚𝒐𝒖 𝒏𝒆𝒆𝒅 𝒂 𝒒𝒖𝒊𝒄𝒌 𝒑𝒓𝒆𝒔𝒆𝒏𝒕? 𝑫𝒐𝒏’𝒕 𝒘𝒐𝒓𝒓𝒚 𝒘𝒆 𝒄𝒂𝒏 𝒉𝒆𝒍𝒑! We can even gift wrap, write on the card AND post the presents on your behalf AUSTRALIA WIDE!🎁🎁🎁🥳🥳🥳 www.thecoffeeapple.com.au
PLUS we offer same day
Click & Collect or come visit us in-store!

PLS EXCUSE my somewhat dishevelled appearance 🤦🏻‍♀️. Yes I got caught out in the rain 🌧️ on traffic control 🛑 but the good news is I have made it back to the shop and today this Wednesday we will be OPEN from 3pm until 5pm.

🐾 Tiny dogs. Big imaginations. ❤️

One of the best parts of a toy shop? Watching little people create entire worlds from the smallest things.

A couple of little toy dogs become best friends… adventurers… rescue pups… or faithful companions on a very important mission across the lounge room floor 🐶✨

At The Coffee Apple, we LOVE filling our shelves with toys that spark open-ended play, storytelling and creativity — the kinds of toys that children return to again and again because their imagination does the rest.

Come in and explore. You never know what little treasure will capture their heart today 💛

📍 20 Railway Avenue, Ringwood East
🧸 The Coffee Apple Toy Shop
💫 Full of toys, gifts & unexpected little finds

One of the best parts of what I do… I get to see… WHATS INSIDE THE BOX … some of the time 🤪🥰😁

Looking for something a little different? 💕✨
Sometimes the sweetest moments are the unexpected ones… like a tiny local shopper stopping to admire a beautiful old-fashioned pram outside the shop 🥹

At The Coffee Apple, we love filling the shelves with treasures you don’t see everywhere else — unique toys, beautiful gifts, nostalgic finds and those “oh my goodness, that’s adorable!” moments waiting to be discovered.

So next time you’re wandering through Railway Avenue Ringwood East, pop in and have a little browse. You never know what magical thing you’ll find 💖

Because the best small shops aren’t just about shopping… they’re about discovering something special. 🌈✨

TRAFFIC MANAGEMENT can be unpredictable 😬… no Traffic 🛑 call out…. So the good news is I’ve got the SHOP OPEN 🤪😁🥰 (Wednesday 20th)

Current situation in Railway Avenue Ringwood East… Cookie Monster has stolen the race car, Elmo is encouraging him, and honestly at this point nobody seems qualified to supervise. 🚗💨😂🍪

Meanwhile here at The Coffee Apple we’re still unpacking, wrapping 🎁, creating, laughing and doing our absolute best to keep the magic alive one slightly chaotic day at a time.

And honestly? Sometimes joy looks exactly like this.

💙 Open today in Railway Avenue Ringwood East
💙 Toys, gifts, giggles & organised chaos
💙 Small business powered by determination and probably bananas🍌 Come say hello 👋

SWITCHING GEARS ⚙️… no Traffic 🛑 call out so far today… so for now I’m switching gears and I’ve got the SHOP OPEN 🤪😁🥰 (Tuesday 19th)

Today I want to introduce you all to the beautiful Rosie 💖

If you live around Ringwood East, chances are you may already know her… because Rosie is one of those people who quietly helps make a community feel like home. Full of life, kindness, energy and always ready to lend a hand, she stepped into The Coffee Apple Toy Shop today to help me out for the very 1st time behind the counter.

And honestly… she was AMAZING.

The reality of running a small business mostly on your own can be incredibly tough at times, and today I needed to duck out briefly for Oliver’s paediatrician appointment - something important that I simply couldn’t miss.

Without hesitation, Rosie stepped in to help hold the fort… chatting with customers, helping around the shop, bringing smiles and warmth everywhere she went and of course making time for cuddles with one of our favourite regular local visitors, Brutus 🐶💕

Moments like this remind me that small businesses don’t survive on their own. They survive because of community. Because of good people. Because of locals who genuinely care about one another.

So today I simply want to say…

THANK YOU Rosie 💖

Thank you for showing up.
Thank you for helping me breathe a little easier today.
And thank you for being such a wonderful part of our little Railway Avenue village.

I am are very lucky to have you as my friend ✨

RailwayAvenue VillageLife LocalLove SmallBusinessLife FurBabyFriendly

HONESTY… it’s important even if sometimes it’s uncomfortable. Yesterday I something simple… I stopped and bought myself a souvlaki from

It was one of those random cravings I just couldn’t get out of my head 😅. What I didn’t expect was for one of the lovely ladies behind the counter to recognise me from socials. We ended up having a really honest conversation about small business, stress, survival and how hard things are for so many people right now.

She said something that really stayed with me… when someone is honest about struggling it helps others realise they are not alone.

That hit me hard because it’s true.

Behind the lights being switched on each morning are real people carrying enormous pressure right now. Rising costs, quieter trade, exhaustion, fear… it’s affecting so many.

So today this is my little reminder to continue supporting small business where you can ❤️

Not because we expect people to spend money they don’t have… but because sometimes even a small act of support, kindness or encouragement means more than people realise.

And honestly? Tonight I felt seen too.

Huge THANK YOU to the beautiful team at Nikos Tavern for the incredible food, the kindness and the reminder that community still matters.

If you’re nearby and looking for a delicious local feed, go show them some love.

STRETCH… bed is soooo comfy… ok UP it’s time to get moving. LETS DO THIS small business thing 🤪 C U Soon 😍

The toys have been CAUGHT OUT!!! I’ve been away on construction sites for the last 2 days and this morning I open up my toy shop to find evidence…. that the toys definitely play while I’m not here. 🤪🙃🙄🥰😍😁🥳 ITS GREAT TO BE BACK.

There’s something beautiful about watching children leave little pieces of joy behind 💛🌈

Today our Railway Avenue footpaths are being filled with rainbows, sunshine, hearts and happy messages as families stop, slow down and simply spend time together.

This Mother’s Day, I’d love to invite you down to Railway Avenue Ringwood East to leave your own positive mark on our community.

Grab a coffee ☕
Share brunch or dinner with family 🍽️
Pick up flowers, gifts or treats from our local small businesses 🌸
Let the kids draw on the footpath 🎨
Say hello to a trader.
Take a moment to reconnect.

Because community is built in the little moments:
the conversations,
the laughter,
the chalk drawings,
the smiling children,
and the people who continue showing up for each other.

Our shopping strip has been through a lot over the last few years, but days like today remind us what makes Railway Avenue special… the people 💛

Come down, wander the strip, support local and help fill Railway Avenue with colour, kindness and connection this Mother’s Day 🌈

It’s the little things that catch my eye… for me I haven’t opened it this puzzle BUT in my head I wonder… 💭 what’s behind each piece… do you get to see the people inside? 🥰