• Home
  • Meet Karen
    • About me
  • Home Tour
  • Project Gallery
  • Contact
    • Get in touch
    • Advertise

A House Full of Sunshine

The art of making home

Make life beautiful.

Get my free eBook and learn how YOU can live a more

creative, organised and joy-filled life

at home with kids...starting today!

  • a house full of sunshine
  • Home
    • Home Tour
    • Decorate
    • DIY
    • Room Reveals
    • Organise
    • Eat
    • occasions
      • Christmas
      • Easter
      • Mother’s Day
      • Father’s Day
  • Kids
    • Play
    • Create
    • Party
  • Happiness
    • Inspire
    • Blogging

Rainbow birthday party

Friday ~ Posted by Karen Schravemade

Well, after a week of technical difficulties, I’ve finally managed to upload all four hundred and fifty photos to a blog post in order to share the prettiness of Allegra’s rainbow birthday party. Okay, there’s not quite that many pics. But close.

This was SO much fun to put together, you guys.

Rainbow party invitations

Let’s start with the invitations. My go-to for invitations is Etsy – there are thousands of designs in every theme imaginable, and virtually all of them can be personalised by the designer with your child’s name and party deets. There’s usually a 2-3 day turnaround, although many shops offer rush orders if you’re in a hurry. Then you just print the file at home. Super quick and easy, and sure beats hand writing dozens of invitations like we once used to!

This was the pretty invitation Allegra chose. It had the party details written on each stripe of the rainbow. Super cute!

Rainbow invite

Next, onto the pre-party prep. Since this is a long post, I’ve added headings so you can easily find what you need.

Rainbow layered jelly cups

The first thing I did was to make some rainbow layered jellies. They looked so pretty once they were done, and I was surprised how many people at the party asked how I’d made them. It’s so simple, but I thought I’d share how I did it in case anyone else had the same question. Be aware that they do require a few days’ head-start.

I started by measuring the height of the cup, then divided that measurement by 6 (for each of the rainbow colours – typically seven, but we left out indigo). This let me know how much jelly to pour each time.

I used a small ruler, because the cups were tapered, so it’s deceivingly hard to judge by eye – you need less liquid for the bottom layers and more for the top as it widens out. Using a ruler made the process really quick, because I wasn’t stopping and eyeballing it and adding a bit more each time to get it right .

Rainbow birthday party

I mixed two packets of jelly per colour, and then allowed each layer to set fully in the fridge before adding the next.

Even though I left about 10 hours between each addition and the jelly was firmly set, the bottom layers still seemed to dissolve into each other just a little over time, creating a slightly blurred effect. It still looked pretty, but the stripes were a little less crisp than I’d imagined.

It might have been the warmth of the liquid that did that. You could possibly avoid this by adding iced water to your jelly mixture in the second stage instead of just the cold water that’s recommended on the packet.

Oh, and I used jelly with natural colourings for the red, orange and green layers – and those colours seemed less vibrant, so next time I’d probably just use the more brightly coloured artificial stuff and then apologise to all the Mums afterward. ?

Rainbow birthday party

Rainbow cupcakes

Next, rainbow cupcakes! These were also super easy to make. I baked the cupcakes in rainbow cupcake liners. I’d ordered some Rainbow sour straps similar to these online. I cut each strip into thirds to get a shorter length. After icing the cupcakes with blue buttercream, I cut a small slit in each side then poked the rainbow strap into the slits to make an arch. Then I added a few white mini marshmallows for “clouds”. Done!

Rainbow birthday party

Rainbow fairy bread

I also made some fairy bread with rainbow hundreds-and-thousands. To make it a bit more interesting, I used a star cutter on a second square of bread, then buttered the underside and stuck it over top. I love how the bright colour peeks through!

Rainbow birthday party

Rainbow birthday cake

And of course, we can’t forget the fabulous rainbow cake. You can see exactly how we made it in this post.

Rainbow birthday party

Rainbow birthday party

These pictures still make me smile every time!

Rainbow birthday party

Rainbow craft table

Let the party begin! When the girls arrived, I had a craft table set up with some rainbow paints, brushes, water cups and a rainbow colouring page for them to paint. While we were setting up we used a coloured pencil to make a little dot on each stripe of the rainbow, so the girls would know which colours to use.

Rainbow birthday party

I found these adorable Micador paint palettes at Big W, which were just perfect as they came in rainbow colours.

Rainbow birthday party

Rainbow birthday party

Rainbow nail bar

Near the table I created a little  rainbow “nail bar” where the girls could get their nails done.

Rainbow birthday party

I had to do some hunting around to find the brightest rainbow colours I could! I found all of these at Big W.

The girls absolutely loved getting their nails painted. One rainbow colour per nail!

Rainbow birthday party

Rainbow birthday party

The birthday girl wore a rainbow-kinda dress that she’s had in her dress up box for ages.

Rainbow birthday party

Behind the “nail bar” you can see the party bags. I used rainbow paper bags that came in a pack with thank you stickers, which made them quick and easy to throw together. I bought them online from One Stop Kids Party Shop (Australia), or if you’re outside Australia, you can find the rainbow bags here on Amazon. (I couldn’t find an equivalent for the stickers, sorry.)

Rainbow party backdrop

Onto the party table! The backdrop was just seven disposable plastic tablecloths, each in a different rainbow colour. (I had to crop out the red and purple stripes in this shot.) We left them partly folded so we didn’t have to cut them and because they would have been too see-through all opened out. Then they were just taped onto the wall, with a slight overlap so we didn’t have any gaps.

I bought mine from One Stop Kids Party Shop (same place I got the party bags), and Big W also have most (if not all) of the colours in their party shop. If you’re not in Australia and you want to create this effect yourself, you can find rainbow coloured tablecloths here on Amazon:

Red  /  Pink  /  Orange  /  Yellow  /  Green  /  Blue  /  Purple

Rainbow birthday party

It was such a fun, colourful table to put together.

Rainbow birthday party

 

Rainbow vegetable platter

I made an easy “rainbow platter” of vegetables and fruits – red capsicum (bell pepper), carrot sticks, cheese cubes, green beans, blueberries and purple grapes, with white Tatsziki dip.

Rainbow birthday party

Rainbow lollies

And of course we needed some rainbow lollies on a cute tiered platter!

Rainbow birthday party

Rainbow drink bottles

I have these little glass milk bottles that I seem to pull out for most parties, because they’re so darn cute. I made up red, orange, yellow, and green cordial to go in them. For the blue I used Gatorade.

Once again I chose natural colours for the cordial where I could, which ended up looking a bit washed-out. I would’ve gotten a much brighter red from the artificial stuff, but red colouring makes one of my kids go crazy, so for me it wasn’t worth it.

Rainbow birthday party

Rainbow fruit kebabs

I also made fruit kebabs in rainbow colours. The honeydew melon turned out to be quite a pale green, so in hindsight I would have used kiwi fruit instead for a bit more contrast.

I feel like this is turning into a lesson in “how to use brighter colours than I did for everything so it looks better.” Lol.

Rainbow birthday party

Rainbow birthday party

It was still all so bright and colourful though.

Rainbow birthday party

The little rainbow cupcakes were a hit.

Rainbow birthday party

And I seriously did not want to cut that cake…

Rainbow birthday party

But of course, it had to be done. And it was just as pretty inside!

Rainbow birthday party

Rainbow pass the parcel

Now the games! First we played pass the parcel. It’s a classic, but of course we gave it a rainbow twist.

I wrapped the present in layers of rainbow-coloured paper, with packets of Skittles taped in between each layer as mini-prizes. Red was on the outside and the layers continued in order. Before we started we talked about the order of colours in a rainbow and what the very last colour is – so they knew when they were getting close to the prize!

This was a really fun way to build anticipation as we went along. There were squeals of delight each time a new colour was unwrapped.

Oh, and our pass the parcel music was “I can sing a rainbow”, which is my daughter’s favourite song, and hence the reason for this whole theme in the first place.

Rainbow streamer race

Next we had a rainbow streamer race. This was HILARIOUS.

We split the kids into pairs and gave each pair a coloured crepe streamer (in all the rainbow colours, of course.) They had to face each other while one held onto the roll and the other held the loose end. Then when I said go, the person at the top of the hill had to start unrolling the streamer as the person holding the end slowly backed away.

We told them it was a “slow race”, because if they broke their streamer, they had to go back up to the top and start again. The winner was the first pair to reach the garden bed with their streamer intact.

Now just try to imagine how this went down with a group of five year olds. I was in stitches. In my glorious daydreams I’d imagined a rainbow of colour spreading out down the hill. And I even used to teach five year olds. I should’ve known better.

As soon as we said “go”, the hilarity began. Parents were shouting instructions at kids. The littlest one turned around and took off running down the hill at lightning pace with the entire roll in his hand, as his much older partner shouted at him to come back. Streamers were breaking all over the place. The kids at the top, who were supposed to stay put, started walking down the hill as well because they couldn’t unroll their streamer fast enough. It was mayhem.

I have not laughed that hard in ages.

Rainbow birthday party

Skittles sorting game

I bought a big tub of Skittles for this game. We split the kids into groups (any number of groups would be fine) and gave each team a rainbow-coloured set of cupcake liners and a container of Skittles. The team had to work together to sort their Skittles by colour as fast as they could.

Rainbow birthday party

They absolutely LOVED it! This turned out to be a great game for all ages. It was simple enough for the littlest ones to understand (unlike the Great Streamer Race, lol), but the bigger kids really got stuck into it as well.

Rainbow birthday party

Winners!

Rainbow birthday party

As a grand prize, we tipped aaaaalll the Skittles into a jar in their rainbow order. The colourful layers looked really cool.

Rainbow birthday party

So that was it – our colourful rainbow party. I hope you’ve enjoyed the read and maybe found some new ideas you’d like to try out sometime!

Rainbow birthday party

SOURCES

Etsy Rainbow invitations

Rainbow cupcake liners

Rainbow sour straps

Star cutters

Rainbow colouring page

Rainbow party bags

Rainbow tablecloths for backdrop

Rainbow crepe streamers

Skittles

 

Want more? Here’s how to make a rainbow birthday cake.

How to make a rainbow cake

 

Wishing you a house full of sunshine!

 

Pin801
Share5
Tweet2
808 Shares

Categories: Party

« How to make a rainbow birthday cake
Father’s Day Google Card »
Get my free eBook and learn how YOU can live a more creative, organised and joy-filled life at home with kids...starting today!

Lovely comments

  1. Inese Bokisa says

    Monday at 5:00 pm

    Great party. We are having Summer in few days. It stressful right now but I hope kids will love it. Xx

    • Karen Schravemade says

      Monday at 7:09 pm

      Thanks Inese! ? I’m sure they will! xo

  2. Megan Duesterhaus (The Homes I says

    Wednesday at 8:20 am

    Oh my gosh, Karen!!!! This party is the cutest thing ever!!! So many awesome and adorable details, i LOVE it all!

    • Karen Schravemade says

      Wednesday at 8:46 am

      Thank you so much, sweet friend!! xo

A blog by

Karen Schravemade

welcome!

Hi friends! So glad you're here! I'm Karen, Aussie stay-home Mum to four littlies, former teacher of Creative Arts, agented writer and interior decorator. I'm on a journey to bring beauty to my home and enjoy a more creative life with my kids - I'd love for you to join us. (Curious? Read more here!)

  • Bloglovin
  • Facebook
  • Instagram
  • Pinterest
  • Twitter
  • YouTube

WHAT PEOPLE ARE SHARING

250 Things to throw away

18K shares

Free Vision board printables

29K shares

13K shares

33K shares

160K shares

COPYRIGHT

Sharing is always appreciated! Please keep in mind that all text and images on this blog are the property of A house full of sunshine. You are welcome to share 1-2 images if you link back to my post.

You are not permitted to remove watermarks, crop or edit my photos, use my images without credit, or share more than 2 images without my written permission.

Pinning is welcome and appreciated. Pin away freely, my Pinterest-loving friends.

A house full of sunshine is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to amazon.com. You can see my full disclosure policy here. 

INSTAFEED

ahousefullofsunshine

5 years ago, I was struggling with social media ad 5 years ago, I was struggling with social media addiction.⁠⠀
⁠⠀
My compulsion to scroll on my phone was making me deeply unhappy, but I couldn't seem to stop. ⁠⠀
⁠⠀
It feels incredibly vulnerable, but for the first time, I'm sharing my raw and honest story about how I became addicted to social media, and the exact steps I took to break free. ⁠⠀
⁠⠀
I've gone from wasting hours on a mindless distraction that only ever made me feel worse about myself, to falling in love with God's Word and finding true rest + peace in his presence.⁠⠀
⁠⠀
I'm a speaker at the 2020 Christian Women's Self Care Conference, and the topic of my session is "Stop the Scroll and Feed your Soul - how to break social media addiction and find rest in God's presence."⁠⠀
⁠⠀
There are 55+ speakers in total, speaking on a wide range of topics relating to self care. Registration is FREE, but only for a couple more days until conference starts on November 9th! ⁠⠀
⁠⠀
If you want to hold your seat, just tap the link in my bio and select "Self Care Conference", which will take you to the registration page.⁠⠀
⁠⠀
I hope you'll be blessed!⁠⠀
⁠⠀
Meanwhile, please tell me I'm not alone - has anyone else ever struggled with this?? Do share. ⁠⠀
⁠⠀
PS... You can read more of my story in my latest blog post! (Link in bio -> Visit the blog). ⁠⠀
⁠⠀
I also shared this super cute DIY phone box to help you interrupt the pattern of mindlessly picking up your phone!⁠⠀
⁠⠀
xo Karen⁠⠀
⁠⠀
⁠⠀
#selfcare #christianwomen #christianlife #socialmediaaddiction #phoneaddiction #selfcaresistersociety
If there's one word to describe how many women hav If there's one word to describe how many women have been feeling this year... it would be "depleted."⁠⠀
⁠⠀
I mean, for real. Who would've guessed back at the start of this year that we'd be dealing with a global pandemic, homeschooling our kids, financial uncertainty, and a total lockdown on many of our most comforting routines?⁠⠀
⁠⠀
Ladies, it's time to refill those emptied-out tanks before this year is out. I'm so excited to share that I'll be speaking at the 2020 Christian Women's Self-Care Conference, alongside 55 other bloggers, authors and speakers. ⁠⠀
⁠⠀
It's totally online, and our aim is to bless you with help and encouragement for your 2020-wearied soul! ⁠⠀
⁠⠀
Even better, registration is FREE until the conference begins on November 7th, so make sure you hold your seat today! Just click the link in my bio and choose "SELF CARE CONFERENCE".⁠⠀
⁠⠀
Hope to see you there!⁠⠀
⁠⠀
xo Karen⁠⠀
⁠⠀
P.S. Swipe - do you recognise one of those Day One speakers...? More on what I'll be speaking about, very soon! It's a goody!! 😉 😍⁠⠀
⁠⠀
#selfcare #selfcaresistersociety #2020⁠⠀
It’s Reconciliation Week in Australia and right It’s Reconciliation Week in Australia and right now my heart is so heavy with the injustice in the world that I’m struggling to even find the words.

Knowing that I’m inherently complicit in that injustice because of my privilege is sobering. At times I’ve been silent when I should have spoken and at other times I've spoken when I should’ve shut up and listened to the only voices in this narrative that really matter - the voices of those who’ve experienced this sort of prejudice from inside their own skin.

Racial injustice has always grieved my heart, but there’s a difference between empathy and kindness. Having empathy is important, but it’s not enough. Kindness speaks and acts. And right now I don’t really know what to say but somehow I feel it’s important to say something anyway, however imperfectly. Because there is nothing as deafening as silence in the face of systemic suffering.

I don’t know a lot. But I do know that Jesus was always on the side of the oppressed and marginalised. And the Bible tells us that one day, the last will be first and the first will be last. To me that means that in God’s new restored kingdom, these corrupt systems of the world will be turned on their head. In that day, those who’ve benefited from a system of white supremacy (myself included) will be the least. Those who’ve been oppressed and mistreated in this life will be honoured and elevated with the nobility they deserve. What a day that will be!! 🙌

But it’s not enough to know that someday it will all be made right. I hope to see heaven come to earth. I hope to see more black leaders, politicians, policy makers, authors, artists, influencers, CEO’s, entrepreneurs, bank managers, lawyers, judges, scientists and professors. The system is unfairly stacked and our privilege is self-perpetuating. I pray for it all to be turned upside down within our lifetime.

In the (paraphrased) words of MLK, let’s not prefer a negative peace which is an absence of tension (aka passivity, complacency, complicity, silence), over a positive peace, which is the presence of justice. “But let justice roll on like a river, righteousness like a never-failing stream!”
‭‭Amos‬ ‭5:24‬ ‭NIV‬‬
We’re in week one of homeschooling over here. Sc We’re in week one of homeschooling over here. School closures will last at least five weeks. I will not lie, I was anxious about how I would cope. But we are slowly finding our rhythm and perhaps one day in the distant future I’ll even have time to start scheduling posts to Instagram again. For now, this is a random mid week check-in to say, how are you surviving, friends? I’m thinking of you! Wishing you an oasis of calm in the midst of everything, whether it means getting up half an hour earlier than the kids for a morning walk alone, or locking yourself in the bedroom at night with a good book while hubby puts the kids to bed. #doneboth #wewillsurvive 💗
Easter iso style - camping on our land! When so ma Easter iso style - camping on our land!
When so many are feeling hopeless right now, we are thankful for the hope Jesus brings. 💚🧡 Happy Easter, friends!
There is no right or wrong way to be right now.⁠ There is no right or wrong way to be right now.⁠
⁠
I've felt led to share some hope and peace with you this week. That doesn't mean you need to put any extra pressure on yourself if you are struggling to tap into peacefulness right now.⁠
⁠
I'm an Enneagram 4, so I am well accustomed to getting trapped inside my own feelings. For the feelers, the weight of the world's problems can sometimes feel intense and overwhelming.⁠
⁠
I was on the beach the other day, praying for a "4" friend who is struggling with this exact thing. And all of a sudden, all of these butterflies started flying from the sand dunes toward the sea, and out over the waves.⁠
⁠
It was a windy day and they were being buffeted around. But I was so intrigued that despite their fragility, they stayed on course, flying directly into that strong wind to get to where they were headed. It started with one, then two, then dozens upon dozens of them. None of them were blown into the water or whipped out of sight. They just flew straight on, above the waves.⁠
⁠
And it made me think of the sensitive souls of this world. Our "butterflies", who bring so much beauty with their creativity, perception, and deep compassion for others. ⁠
⁠
Our butterflies are being extra buffeted right now by the winds of change and pain. That doesn't make them weak. In fact they have within them a surprising strength, to stay the course and to fly above the waves.⁠
⁠
The thing is, you don't have to change who you are to be strong. You don't have to be something you're not. Your sensitivity is not a weakness - it's designed into your DNA by God. With so many people hurting and afraid at the moment, we need your compassion more than ever.⁠
⁠
If you're feeling overwhelmed, it's okay to not be okay. Just trust that even if you feel buffeted by the winds, you are lifted by his grace above the waves, and you will not be drowned.⁠
⁠
And even if you feel like you're flailing around out there, you never know, someone else might just be watching you, admiring your beauty and your grace. 🦋
I was reading a random little story the other day I was reading a random little story the other day from the book of Numbers, in the Bible. ⁠
⁠
A king was scared of the Israelites and so he paid a prophet to curse them. Except every time they tried it, the guy spoke blessings instead. This is what he said:⁠
⁠
"God has blessed, and I cannot reverse it! No misfortune is in his plan for Jacob; no trouble is in store for Israel. For the LORD their God is with them; he has been proclaimed their king." (Numbers 23:20-21)⁠
⁠
Even the curses of the enemy will be turned into blessings for the people of God. ⁠
⁠
He has given us an inheritance that cannot be shaken. ⁠
⁠
💜 What blessing are you thankful for today? ⁠
⁠
I'm thankful for the leadership of my local church, who continue to minister to peoples' needs both spiritual and physical. Our pastors have their own families and needs, yet they consistently look outward to care for their flock. ⁠
⁠
Let me know yours below! Let's name as many BLESSINGS as we can!⁠
⁠
xo Karen
Thank you God, for your goodness.⁠ ⁠ For famil Thank you God, for your goodness.⁠
⁠
For family and a home and a table to gather around with our loved ones.⁠
⁠
Thank you that when so much else is changing, you remain the same.⁠
⁠
Thank you that you are for us and not against us. That your heart is toward us. That in you is all we need, now and always.⁠
⁠
We pray for those who are lonely and isolated and anxious and unwell. For those whose jobs and livelihoods are lost or threatened. Give us creative ways to reach out with kindness, that we can be salt and light in a dark world. ⁠
⁠
Let kindness for others not feel like a drain on our limited resources, but a natural outflowing of your continuous, abundant supply. ⁠
⁠
Shelves may be bare, but you always have more than enough.⁠
⁠
Every blessing comes from your hand and we are grateful.⁠
⁠
Amen
“I am leaving you with a gift—peace of mind an “I am leaving you with a gift—peace of mind and heart. And the peace I give is a gift the world cannot give. So don’t be troubled or afraid." John 14:27⁠
⁠
There is truly nothing like God's peace.⁠
⁠
The world can offer mindfulness and yoga and candles and calming diffused oils and self-help. Nothing wrong with any of those things, in fact they can be beautiful tools - I use all of them. ⁠
⁠
But I can say from genuine experience that the peace God gives is not like the peace the world gives. It's on a whole new level. ⁠
⁠
It's the peace that he gives when you're in the middle of a storm and the world is turning to crap all around you and you're at the very end of yourself and self-help has begun feeling like trying to drag yourself from a pit via a rope around your waist that you're tugging on with your own two hands. ⁠
⁠
We can't always lift ourselves out of anxiety or fear. So drop the rope. Stop striving. And ask God for HIS peace. He has an abundant well of supply for you to draw from. ⁠
⁠
Fear is trying to hold tight to control in a situation we can't control. ⁠
⁠
Faith asks us to let go, to repent of our fearfulness and surrender it all to God.⁠
⁠
How do you find this miracle of peace? In the letting go.⁠
⁠
We were never meant to carry this burden anyway. ⁠
⁠
How are you doing today? Let me know how I can pray for you. ⁠
⁠
xo Karen
I was praying yesterday and felt God telling me th I was praying yesterday and felt God telling me that it's time to make a transition. Instead of being a person who looks for support from others in times of stress or uncertainty, he wants me to offer support TO others. ⁠
⁠
I've often felt like I don't quite have it together. I'm sensitive, I feel things deeply, I tend to get trapped in my own head and in negative thought spirals.⁠
⁠
But I felt like he was saying that I have something to offer, anyway. Just because I've always been a person who views myself as needy or weak does not mean God views me that way. He can see the strength that is in all of us and he delights in calling it forth. I love how when Gideon was hiding in fear in a winepress, God's angel greeted him by saying "The LORD is with you, mighty warrior."⁠
⁠
He was the furthest thing from a mighty warrior at that point. But God knew the battles he WOULD win in his future. He saw what did not yet exist and spoke about it as if it was already a reality. He saw Gideon's true identity and spoke directly to that buried and hidden place within him.⁠
⁠
So. Maybe all I need is a shift in perspective. From looking inward at my own lack, to looking up at him. HE is the source of any hope and help I can offer. And if he wants me to share that, it would be my privilege to obey.⁠
⁠
So let me know... is there anything you're particularly struggling with right now? If you're feeling anxious or burdened, I would love to support you in prayer. 🙏⁠
⁠
xo Karen
We haven't been quarantined yet in Australia, but We haven't been quarantined yet in Australia, but I know many of my American friends are stuck at home right now. Either way - sounds like a good chance to do "one thing for the home."⠀
⠀
If you're feeling anxious, it can really help to get out of your head for a little while and do something practical. We can't control anything in the outside world right now, but we CAN complete one concrete task to make our immediate environment feel calmer and function better. And sometimes just having that one little win is all we need to break us out of a negative thought-spiral and restore some equilibrium. ⠀
⠀
If you're feeling a bit helpless and panicky, I hope this helps. It's one thing you CAN control. And doing something with your hands will give your mind a much-needed break. ⠀
⠀
🌟THIS MONTH'S PRIZE: A $50 AMAZON GIFT CARD! 🌟⠀
⠀
Here's a reminder of how to play:⠀
⠀
1. Decorate, declutter or organise one thing in your home, this weekend. No task is too small! One shelf or one drawer is all you need to tackle to be eligible!⁠⠀
⁠⠀
2. Post your "after" photo on the Facebook thread (click through via my link in bio). Pics DON'T have to be spectacular - they're simply proof that you did it.⁠⠀
⁠⠀
3. Follow me on Instagram and Facebook. (Click through to my Facebook page via my link in bio)⁠⠀
⁠⠀
4. Tag some friends either on THIS post or on the Facebook thread to play along! If you complete the challenge, you will get a bonus entry for EVERY person you tag.⁠⠀
⁠⠀
5. Entries will be given for every challenge completed this month. We play four times in March - once every weekend! You can participate once or all four times, it's up to you!⁠⠀
⁠⠀
Giveaway is not sponsored, endorsed or administered by, or associated with Instagram. The winner will be randomly drawn at 8pm AEST Monday, following the last Sunday of the month. Giveaway is open internationally.⁠⠀
⁠⠀
I'll be going live on Facebook today at 2.30pm AEST to kick off this week's challenge and show you the space I'll be tackling today. International timezones are on the third slide - swipe right to see! Or click through my link in bio at any time to see the video saved on my feed.⁠⠀
⁠⠀
I hope you join us! This will be fun!
I’ve been quiet this week. In situations of flux I’ve been quiet this week. In situations of flux or stress my tendency is to withdraw and process. (I’ve learned this is very Enneagram 4 of me.) I also feel major reticence about adding to the current noise. I feel there are enough voices talking loudly all at once about the same thing and you don’t need one more.
So I give you instead a prayer for peace. If you are feeling anxious, let this be your exhale today. 💙
Weekend feels courtesy of the "Hamptons House"... Weekend feels courtesy of the "Hamptons House"... 😉⁠
⁠
What are you up to this weekend, friends?⁠
⁠
xo Karen
It's Friday! Time for our weekly "One Thing for th It's Friday! Time for our weekly "One Thing for the Home" challenge! ⁠This month I'm gonna raise the stakes and give away a $50 Amazon Gift Card. 🎉🎉WOOHOO!!⁠⠀
⁠⠀
You can win just by getting something done that you've been meaning to get to around your home! ⁠⠀
⁠⠀
Here's how to play.⁠⠀
⁠⠀
1. Decorate, declutter or organise one thing in your home, this weekend. No task is too small! One shelf or one drawer is all you need to tackle to be eligible!⁠⠀
⁠⠀
2. Post your "after" photo on the Facebook thread (click through via my link in bio). Pics DON'T have to be spectacular - they're simply proof that you did it.⁠⠀
⁠⠀
3. Follow me on Instagram and Facebook. (Click through to my Facebook page via my link in bio)⁠⠀
⁠⠀
4. Tag some friends either on THIS post or on the Facebook thread to play along! If you complete the challenge, you will get a bonus entry for EVERY person you tag.⁠⠀
⁠⠀
5. Entries will be given for every challenge completed this month. We play four times in March - once every weekend! You can participate once or all four times, it's up to you!⁠⠀
⁠⠀
Giveaway is not sponsored, endorsed or administered by, or associated with Instagram. The winner will be randomly drawn at 8pm AEST Monday, following the last Sunday of the month. Giveaway is open internationally.⁠⠀
⁠⠀
I'll be going live on Facebook today at 2.30pm AEST to kick off this week's challenge and show you the space I'll be tackling today. International timezones are on the third slide - swipe right to see! Or click through my link in bio at any time to see the video saved on my feed.⁠⠀
⁠⠀
I hope you join us! This will be fun! 🤩⁠⠀
⁠⠀
May the odds be ever in your favour! 😉⁠⠀
⁠⠀
Let's get this accountability ball rolling - let me know below what you're thinking of tackling this month!⁠⠀
⁠⠀
xo Karen⁠⠀
⁠⠀
⁠⠀
⁠⠀
#onethingforthehome #organized #organising #organisedhome #organisedlife #organisedmum #homeorganising #tidyhome #organization #organizedhome #aplaceforeverythingandeverythinginitsplace
We are getting closer on the home build front... a We are getting closer on the home build front... after two years of sketching dozens upon dozens of floor layout ideas and ultimately trashing all of them, I finally have a plan I LOVE!! ⁠
⁠
It ended up being a highly collaborative effort between our architect and myself - he came up with a general concept and gave me external parameters to suit the contours of the block, and I then designed the internal layouts to fit. ⁠
⁠
Turns out that is exactly what I needed - some guidelines! Amazing how much better our creativity flourishes within constraints. It was way too open-ended before our architect came on board, and I was flailing around in all that freedom like a tadpole in the ocean. Within a day or two of having a blank footprint to work within, I actually had a decent plan. We've tweaked it a little since then, but it's virtually the same.⁠
⁠
I love it when something you've struggled with for the longest time suddenly just clicks. Has this ever happened for you?⁠
⁠
Now we just need to draft it up properly and then see if we can actually afford to build it. Lol. ⁠
⁠
One step at a time... 😆Celebrating progress today!⁠
⁠
xo Karen⁠
⁠
P.S. Let me know if you'd like to see a sneak peek of our plan in stories!!
So here's a little Enneagram primer to follow on f So here's a little Enneagram primer to follow on from yesterday's chat! This is just off the top of my head, so please take it with a grain of salt - there is SO MUCH more to each type than what I can sum up in a sentence.⁠
⁠
Here are the 9 types:⁠
⁠
1 - The Moral Perfectionist: self-critical, organised, driven by the desire to make things right and good⁠
2 - The Helper: relationally driven, people focussed, places others' needs ahead of their own⁠
3 - The Achiever: success driven and ambitious, gets things done, image conscious⁠
4 - The Romantic Individualist: creative, driven by the desire for uniqueness, feels things deeply⁠
5 - The Investigative Thinker: introverted and analytical,  detached from emotion⁠
6 - The Loyalist: community minded, a team player, driven by the need for security and anxiety about the future⁠
7 - The Entertaining Optimist: positive, energetic and playful, driven to squeeze as much fun out of life as possible⁠
8 - The Protective Challenger: a natural leader, confrontational, confident and determined⁠
9 - The Peaceful Mediator: conflict-avoidant, gentle and steady, driven to seek inner peace⁠
⁠
I'm a 4 wing 5, married to an 8 wing 7. They do say opposites attract 😆⁠
⁠
Do you see yourself in any of these descriptions? ⁠
⁠
xo Karen
ENNEAGRAM⁠ ⁠ Where are my fellow Enneagram fan ENNEAGRAM⁠
⁠
Where are my fellow Enneagram fanatics??!⁠
⁠
I've only recently "discovered" the Enneagram, and OH. MY. GOODNESS. What a game changer. ⁠
⁠
If you're not familiar with it, it's a personality typing system.  I've always been interested in personality differences and human behaviour - that's probably the novelist in me. But none of the other systems I've come across have resonated with me as deeply as the Enneagram.⁠
⁠
It is so accurate, it's almost uncanny.⁠
⁠
Basically, there are 9 types, representing 9 different ways of looking at the world, each with different motivations, behaviour traits, strengths and flaws.⁠
⁠
I'm an Enneagram 4. That's the "Romantic Individualist". It's an artistic temperament driven by creativity, love of beauty, a desire for uniqueness, introspection, and authenticity.⁠
⁠
I guess it's no surprise that when I had to ask my friends and readers to sum up my strengths for an assignment I was given, the two words that came up most frequently were "creativity" and "honesty".⁠
⁠
Enneagram 4's feel deeply and are very connected to our emotions. We'd  much rather have a meaningful conversation about deep feelings than make small talk about trivial things. ⁠
⁠
Each type can pull a little more to one or other of the numbers beside them, giving a different flavour. I'm a wing 5 (the "Investigative Thinker") which means I tend to be less temperamental/ moody, and more steady, reserved and analytical. ⁠
⁠
I'm also daydreamy, a big-picture thinker, and despise administrative details. My "fatal flaw" (each type has one) is comparison and envy. Ohhhhh yep, that certainly rings true. Because while we want to stand out and be special, which can be prideful, we also struggle hard with insecurity and feeling like we never quite measure up.⁠
⁠
Yes, yes and YES.⁠
⁠
If you haven't done the Enneagram test, do a search online - it's honestly so interesting and self-revealing.⁠
⁠
If you know your type, what number are you? xo
So I found out I have bronchitis. 🙄At least I f So I found out I have bronchitis. 🙄At least I feel less like a whiner - if I get sick I usually shake it within a couple of days, so I was starting to feel irritated with myself for still being crook after three weeks!⁠
⁠
Anyhow, could be worse, and I do feel like I'm starting to pick up again now. ⁠
⁠
This buffet in our living room holds a changing arrangement of mostly-white vases, with a bit of blue glass and green foliage thrown in for good measure. ⁠
⁠
Are you a chronic re-arranger, or do you prefer to leave things as-is? ⁠
⁠
To be honest, I've always been a "get it exactly how I want it then leave it like that forever" type of girl, but I've been loosening up and playing around more with my décor this past year, and it struck me that my buffet has gone through several style shifts now. I actually like it a little bit better every time I make a change! ⁠
⁠
Hope this new week will be an awesome one for you, friends!⁠
⁠
xo Karen⁠
BLACK vs WHITE⁠ ⁠ Let's talk kitchens! Our hou BLACK vs WHITE⁠
⁠
Let's talk kitchens! Our house build is on my mind, and even though we're only at the plan stage, I'm trying to nail down my ideas in a general creative direction. ⁠
⁠
The last three kitchens I've designed have been all white, with accents of grey. I really want to use black in my next kitchen. I love the drama of it (as we already established, I like a bit of drama. Ha.) I keep veering back and forth between all black, or some combination of black and white. ⁠
⁠
I'm interested to know... what would you choose? My guess is that white-on-white is still gonna be the most popular choice, and black will probably be controversial, but I could be wrong! ⁠
⁠
So let me know - I'm keen to hear your opinion!⁠
⁠
1. All white⁠
2. All black⁠
3. Black + white⁠
⁠
🖤♡🖤♡🖤⁠
Karen
It's Friday! Time for our weekly "One Thing for th It's Friday! Time for our weekly "One Thing for the Home" challenge! ⁠This month I'm gonna raise the stakes and give away a $50 Amazon Gift Card. 🎉🎉WOOHOO!!⠀
⠀
You can win just by getting something done that you've been meaning to get to around your home! ⠀
⁠⠀
Here's how to play.⠀
⁠⠀
1. Decorate, declutter or organise one thing in your home, this weekend. No task is too small! One shelf or one drawer is all you need to tackle to be eligible!⠀
⁠⠀
2. Post your "after" photo on the Facebook thread (click through via my link in bio). Pics DON'T have to be spectacular - they're simply proof that you did it.⁠⠀
⠀
3. Follow me on Instagram and Facebook.⠀
⁠⠀
4. Tag some friends either on THIS post or on the Facebook thread to play along! If you complete the challenge, you will get a bonus entry for EVERY person you tag.⠀
⠀
5. Entries will be given for every challenge completed this month. We play four times in March - once every weekend! You can participate once or all four times, it's up to you!⠀
⁠⠀
Giveaway is not sponsored, endorsed or administered by, or associated with Instagram. The winner will be randomly drawn at 8pm AEST Monday, following the last Sunday of the month. Giveaway is open internationally.⠀
⠀
I'll be going live on Facebook today at 2.30pm AEST to kick off this week's challenge and show you the space I'll be tackling today. International timezones are on the third slide - swipe right to see! Or click through my link in bio at any time to see the video saved on my feed.⠀
⠀
I hope you join us! This will be fun! 🤩⠀
⠀
May the odds be ever in your favour! 😉⠀
⠀
Let's get this accountability ball rolling - let me know below what you're thinking of tackling this month!⠀
⠀
xo Karen⠀
⠀
P.S. You can decorate, declutter or organise anything you like. No task is too small! Tackle a drawer, a shelf, or a storage tub. Do that niggly little job you've been meaning to get to. Hang that picture. Paint that stool. Sort through the kids clothes. We’ve all got that “one thing” - let us know yours! xo⠀
⠀
⠀
⠀
#onethingforthehome #organized #organising #organisedhome #organisedlife #organisedmum #homeorganising #tidyhome #organization #organizedhome #aplaceforeverythinga
Load More… Follow on Instagram

a house full of sunshine

  • Meet Karen
  • Home Tour
  • Project Gallery
  • Contact
  • Advertise
  • Disclosure
  • Privacy Policy
Copyright © 2021 A House Full of Sunshine. Custom blog development by Moonsteam Design. Logo by Salt & Wood.