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A House Full of Sunshine

The art of making home

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How to Start a Blog (in less than 10 minutes!)

Sunday

Starting a blog can change your life. If you’re looking for a career with flexible hours (perhaps so you can stay home and look after kids – I’m typing this with a baby sitting on my lap), unlimited earning potential (for real – more about that in my next post; it’s a doozy!) and the… Read more

How to style a bookshelf

How to style a bookshelf (and a FREE decorating course for you!)

Wednesday

Hi friends! It’s been a while, huh? Baby boy is now four months old… where on earth did that time go?? Sorry for the blurry pic – it’s just an iPhone snap, but too cute not to share! We have almost a thousand new subscribers since last time I posted, so if you’re new, a… Read more

Our new arrival! It’s a….

Thursday

… BOY!! Little Charlie Benjamin made his grand entrance into the world on the 31st March. He is the cutest little thing that ever there was! I adore this baby boy so much, I can’t even begin to say. I’m a little embarrassed that it’s taken me this long to get a post together about our… Read more

How to create a custom desktop organiser

Create a custom desktop organizer

Friday

  Does anyone else always seem to end up with a clutter of messy icons on their computer desktop? If that’s you, today’s solution might just be your jam! I’ll show you how to create a beautiful custom desktop organiser like this one using Canva (a free online design tool) in under 10 minutes. Then… Read more

Free Desktop wallpaper

FREE Desktop Wallpaper

Tuesday

When I showed you my brand new study makeover last year, I gave you a sneak peek of the pretty desktop wallpaper I created for my laptop. There’s something about a lovely desktop design that lifts the whole space – and it’s the easiest little decor refresh you could ever hope to make. Plus, it’s free! I’ve created… Read more

How to organise the bathroom cupboard

An organised bathroom cupboard

Wednesday

If you’ve been following along with my decluttering posts lately, you’ll know that so far we’ve tackled the home office desk drawers and the linen cupboard. Today it’s time to take a peek inside the bathroom cupboards. I’m quite pleased that today I don’t have a horrifying “before” photo with which to permanently embarrass myself on the internet…. Read more

My Maternity Photos (one week to go!!)

Friday

There’s only a week to go until baby Schravemade #4 arrives on the scene. My head and heart are a swirl of different emotions just thinking about it. I mean… ONE week! Really? How is this possible?! In some ways it feels like this pregnancy has lasted FOREVER, but in another sense it doesn’t really seem that… Read more

How to Organise your Linen Cupboard (and a pretty linen cupboard makeover!)

Tuesday

Decluttering – it’s more addictive than caffeine. It’s the housewives’ crack. That’s right, kids – don’t do drugs; declutter! You may not enjoy it at first; you may go in kicking and screaming. But once you’ve filled your first garbage bag, that sense of giddy satisfaction will have you stuffing things into bags with such wild… Read more

Hello Spring Home Tour

Thursday

When Carrie from Lovely Etc invited me to be part of a Spring Home Tour, I had to smile, because of course as the lone Aussie blogger in a sea of American blogs, I’m all out of sync with these seasonal tours. It’s autumn in Australia, and to be honest, autumn is not much different… Read more

Office decluttering + desk drawer organisation

Tuesday

Since my epic decluttering post, 250+ Things to Throw Away, I’ve been on a decluttering binge in my home. And boy, does it feel good! It’s been a while between posts – for those of you who are new around here, I was in a car accident a couple of weeks ago and because I’m… Read more

A tribute to the ordinary crappy day

A Tribute to the Ordinary Crappy Day

Wednesday

 Two days in the life of a Mum. One ordinary… one extraordinary. One just plain ol’ crappy, one…. well. How to describe it? Terrifying? Life-changing? Is that too dramatic? I’ll let you decide. These are the days that shaped my world last week, and how I’ve changed because of them. FRIDAY I know today will… Read more

250 Things to throw away

250+ Things to Throw Away

Tuesday

I’m on a decluttering binge this year. I’ve had ENOUGH of too much stuff. You know when you just get to that point? Where every time you try to shove more stuff into a cupboard where it doesn’t fit, or trip over those extra storage tubs in the Walk-In-Robe that you haven’t got around to putting away,… Read more

Cord Organisation with Washi Tape

Thursday

I’m teaming up with some bloggy friends today to share some creative uses for washi tape. Chances are you have some kicking around your home already. I for one find it hard to walk past a pretty washi tape display or bargain bin without snagging an extra couple of rolls for my stash. So when… Read more

100+ Easy Lunchbox ideas with free mix and match printable

100+ Easy Lunchbox Ideas (with free mix-and-match printable!)

Wednesday

This post contains affiliate links. You can see my disclosure policy here. It’s back to school season, and like Mums all over the world, I’ve been in search of some easy lunchbox ideas to add to my repertoire. I often find myself falling back into the same tired old pattern when I’m in a hurry in the… Read more

The Master List: How to Conquer your To-Do List once and for all!

The Master List: How to Conquer your To-Do List once and for all!

Thursday

We all know what it’s like having too many balls to juggle. It’d be helpful sometimes to be able to clone ourselves so we could handle everything life throws our way; but until the brainiacs of the world figure that one out, we’re stuck trying to cram a heck of a lot of “stuff” into an… Read more

Dreams by Design Planner 2016

It’s here… the 2016 Dreams by Design Planner!

Tuesday

What an exciting day!! After months of work, we have: A brand new site (if you’re reading via email, click through to check it out – so pretty!) … AND… I’m finally launching my very own product… the 2016 Dreams by Design Planner! If you’re really observant, you may remember me mentioning my Planner way back… Read more

How to make it: A sweet and simple Christmas tree with handmade elements

Friday

I’m part of the My Home Style Christmas tree blog hop today, hosted by Casa Watkins. If you came here from Farmhouse 40, welcome! If you saw my Christmas home tour last week, you’ll know there were lots of little DIYs that went into decorating the space. Today I’d like to share our sweet and simple handmade… Read more

A Very Merry Christmas Home Tour (and $500 Giveaway!)

Friday

Hello friends, and welcome into my home! Today I’m part of the Very Merry Christmas Home Tour, hosted by Carrie of Lovely Etc. To celebrate the festive season, we’re offering a $500 PayPal giveaway to help with your Christmas shopping – yippee! You’ll find the giveaway toward the end of this post. I’m so glad to… Read more

Christmas Holiday Planner – FREE printable!

Wednesday

Are you that Mum who eagerly looks forward to the Christmas holidays (no more packing school lunches! No more school run or homework! Yippee!)… but then four days into the holidays, the kids are driving you crazy and you’re wishing they’d go back to school already? Hand raised. Been there. I tend to have this… Read more

Hand-stamped Christmas wrapping paper

Monday

There’s nothing more festive than seeing a pile of beautifully wrapped gifts under the Christmas tree. To add a personal touch to your gift-giving, why not make your own themed wrapping paper?   For this project, you’ll need a roll of Kraft paper and one of white paper, and some craft paint. I used white,… Read more

60 Christmas Activities to do as a Family (with FREE Advent printables!)

Sunday

This time of year is all about togetherness, and what better way to get in the Christmas spirit than by planning meaningful and fun activities with your kids? I’ve put together a bumper list of 60 awesome activities to do as a family this Christmas season. Take it up a notch and choose your favourite… Read more

{We have news!} A story of wonder and grace

Tuesday

Once there was a girl. She had always dreamed of a big family. A house full of love and laughter. 4 or 5 kids, she told anyone who asked.  That girl had no idea how difficult it would prove to have even one child. After being diagnosed with Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome, she embarked on a… Read more

How to decorate a sweet high tea table with fresh flowers

Thursday

This post has been kindly sponsored by Fresh Flowers. There are certain occasions that call for a feminine decorating touch at the table. Maybe you’re throwing a bridal shower or getting the girls together for high tea. Perhaps there’s a special birthday you’d like to celebrate, or you just want to spoil your Mum. It’s… Read more

Easy DIY filigree butterfly napkin rings

Monday

I have a sweet little spring DIY for you today – these pretty filigree butterfly napkin rings. Perfect for decorating the table for a girl’s tea party, bridal shower, or spring luncheon. Aren’t they sweet?! Best of all, they’re super easy to make. You’ll need: – Wooden napkin rings (I repurposed some old ones that… Read more

How to make DIY “wallpaper” with a gold paint pen

Wednesday

If you saw the recent pictures of my study makeover, you’ll know that I promised you a tutorial on how I made that show-stoppingly simple gold paint pen wall. Seriously, it was the easiest wall treatment I have ever done. Period. It was also the cheapest. Actually, it cost me $6. Yep. For reals. The… Read more

Study makeover with gold paint pen wall

Friday

You may remember that when we moved into our beach house last year, it looked like this: After months of using the end of the dining table to perch my laptop, I added a simple white desk beneath the mirror to create a makeshift study nook off the dining room. With the big table pulled… Read more

On Finding Balance: a personal update – my journey through PMDD

Monday

When I chose “Balance” as my One Word for this year, I had no idea how apt it would turn out to be. And totally not in the way I expected. One of the definitions of “balance”, according to Merriam-Webster, is “mental and emotional steadiness.” If I’m honest, I’ve always prided myself on my steadiness…. Read more

School memory boxes

Thursday

I’m over at iHeart Organizing today sharing my brand new school memory-box filing system. Come on over and find out how I dug my way out from beneath the chaos of school paperwork! If you’re visiting from iHeart Organizing, welcome! Download the memory box cover sheets here.   I’d love you to follow along with… Read more

How to refinish a mirror (and an Entryway makeover!)

Monday

The entry to your home gives a greeting every time you or a guest walks in your door. For ages my home gave a pretty lacklustre sort of greeting, kind of equivalent to a bored teenager grunting an inaudible “hello”. Things started looking a little happier when I indulged my cushion obsession and added a… Read more

Colour-blocked bathroom storage caddies

Friday

Hey friends! I’m over at IHeart Organizing today sharing a sweet little DIY storage solution – geometric colour-blocked bathroom caddies. Can you guess what I repurposed to make them? You can find the simple how-to here. Pssst, did you hear? My home is being featured this month in IKEA Live Family Magazine. A print copy… Read more

Marbled Mother’s Day cards (that a kid can make!)

Friday

I’ve always loved the look of marbling, but for years I put it in the “too hard” basket. Here’s a method that needs no special equipment and is easy enough for a child to make! Apart from cutting out the hearts, my two year old made these pretty cards herself. We made ours for Mother’s… Read more

Packing for kids – with FREE printable and a giveaway!

Monday

  Thank you so much to EzPacking for providing product for this post. All opinions, bad jokes and packing faux-pas are 100% my own. Packing and me have had issues for a long time now. I procrastinate about it like crazy. It takes me forever. There’s too much to remember with three kids to pack for, and I always… Read more

20 organising hacks for a happy home! (and a magazine feature!)

Monday

Psst – Exciting news!! My river house is being featured this month in Ikea Live Family Magazine. You can see the feature here. For me, a happy home is an organised home. Clutter and chaos in my everyday surroundings makes me feel overwhelmed and kinda stressed out. Did I mention that I often feel overwhelmed and… Read more

DIY Upholstered window seat

Wednesday

    I have a quick and easy tutorial for you today that will save you loads of money if you’re after an upholstered window seat (or bench seat) without the price tag. This little nook might just be the space I miss the most from our River House, which we recently moved out of…. Read more

Gratitude journal with washi tape cover

Friday

Gratitude is powerful. I’m beginning to think it may even be essential to happiness. Lately I’ve been taking some steps to pull myself out of the low place I’ve been in this year and bring some positivity back to my life. Ever since reading Ann Voskamp’s beautiful book “One Thousand Gifts“, I’ve known there is… Read more

Fragile: an Easter story

Thursday

I’m sitting here simply breathtaken by the absolute beauty of an egg. And I need to talk about it.  If you came here for a tutorial on how to make these speckled eggs, that is coming up at the end of this post. But first… can I tell you a story? It’s to do with… Read more

I am not okay

Saturday

I’ve been putting off writing this post forever. The longer a silence goes on, the harder it is to break it. I’m conscious of the fact that we have hundreds of new subscribers on board since the last time I posted (thank you for being here!!)… and this is not exactly the way I would… Read more

Chalkboard pantry makeover… and an announcement I Heart like crazy!

Thursday

I could not be more thrilled to make today’s announcement. In fact, I’m still pinching myself.  When I first started blogging, I stumbled across a fabulous site called IHeart Organizing. It was love at first sight – I spent hours combing through project galleries, reading posts and related posts and favourite posts and pretty much… Read more

Peacock blue and hot pink mid-century-modern mood board

Friday

This week I’ve been busy finalising a client’s mood boards for their brand new living space. It’s been an exciting project that has involved choosing colours from the ground up for a new build – exterior colours, paint, tiles, carpets, kitchen, bathrooms and lighting. The last step: to fill the newly-finished home with furniture and… Read more

Unique gift ideas for your man

Thursday

So…. you know how I wrote that blog post about Balance? Well, a big priority for me this year is to focus on my marriage. One of my big love languages is gift giving, but if I’m to be honest, I’ve really let that slide recently where my husband is concerned. I was so stressed-out… Read more

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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!)

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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.

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INSTAFEED

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5 years ago, I was struggling with social media ad 5 years ago, I was struggling with social media addiction.⁠⠀
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My compulsion to scroll on my phone was making me deeply unhappy, but I couldn't seem to stop. ⁠⠀
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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. ⁠⠀
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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.⁠⠀
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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."⁠⠀
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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! ⁠⠀
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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.⁠⠀
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I hope you'll be blessed!⁠⠀
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Meanwhile, please tell me I'm not alone - has anyone else ever struggled with this?? Do share. ⁠⠀
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PS... You can read more of my story in my latest blog post! (Link in bio -> Visit the blog). ⁠⠀
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I also shared this super cute DIY phone box to help you interrupt the pattern of mindlessly picking up your phone!⁠⠀
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xo Karen⁠⠀
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#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."⁠⠀
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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?⁠⠀
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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. ⁠⠀
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It's totally online, and our aim is to bless you with help and encouragement for your 2020-wearied soul! ⁠⠀
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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".⁠⠀
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Hope to see you there!⁠⠀
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xo Karen⁠⠀
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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!! 😉 😍⁠⠀
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#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.⁠
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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.⁠
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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.⁠
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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.⁠
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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.⁠
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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. ⁠
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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.⁠
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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.⁠
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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.⁠
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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. ⁠
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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:⁠
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"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)⁠
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Even the curses of the enemy will be turned into blessings for the people of God. ⁠
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He has given us an inheritance that cannot be shaken. ⁠
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💜 What blessing are you thankful for today? ⁠
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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. ⁠
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Let me know yours below! Let's name as many BLESSINGS as we can!⁠
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xo Karen
Thank you God, for your goodness.⁠ ⁠ For famil Thank you God, for your goodness.⁠
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For family and a home and a table to gather around with our loved ones.⁠
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Thank you that when so much else is changing, you remain the same.⁠
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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.⁠
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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. ⁠
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Let kindness for others not feel like a drain on our limited resources, but a natural outflowing of your continuous, abundant supply. ⁠
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Shelves may be bare, but you always have more than enough.⁠
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Every blessing comes from your hand and we are grateful.⁠
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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
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There is truly nothing like God's peace.⁠
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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. ⁠
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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. ⁠
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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. ⁠
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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. ⁠
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Fear is trying to hold tight to control in a situation we can't control. ⁠
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Faith asks us to let go, to repent of our fearfulness and surrender it all to God.⁠
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How do you find this miracle of peace? In the letting go.⁠
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We were never meant to carry this burden anyway. ⁠
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How are you doing today? Let me know how I can pray for you. ⁠
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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. ⁠
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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.⁠
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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."⁠
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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.⁠
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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.⁠
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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. 🙏⁠
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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."⠀
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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. ⠀
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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. ⠀
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🌟THIS MONTH'S PRIZE: A $50 AMAZON GIFT CARD! 🌟⠀
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Here's a reminder of how to play:⠀
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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!⁠⠀
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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.⁠⠀
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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"... 😉⁠
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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⠀
⁠⠀
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#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!! ⁠
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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. ⁠
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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?⁠
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Now we just need to draft it up properly and then see if we can actually afford to build it. Lol. ⁠
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One step at a time... 😆Celebrating progress today!⁠
⁠
xo Karen⁠
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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.⁠
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Here are the 9 types:⁠
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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
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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
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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.⁠
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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. ⁠
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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.⁠
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Yes, yes and YES.⁠
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If you haven't done the Enneagram test, do a search online - it's honestly so interesting and self-revealing.⁠
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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! ⁠
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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⠀
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#onethingforthehome #organized #organising #organisedhome #organisedlife #organisedmum #homeorganising #tidyhome #organization #organizedhome #aplaceforeverythinga
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