How to style a bookshelf (and a FREE decorating course for you!)
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….
… 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
Create a custom desktop organizer
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
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
An organised bathroom cupboard
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!!)
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!)
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
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
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
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
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
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!)
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!
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
It’s here… the 2016 Dreams by Design Planner!
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
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!)
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!
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
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!)
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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!)
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
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!)
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!
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!)
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
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
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
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
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!
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
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
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
On blogging, burnout and finding balance
In my last post I talked about the concept of choosing One Word for the year. Only I haven’t told you yet what my word is. It’s kind of funny how many words are needed to explain just One Word. Let me try. Just before Christmas, I did something a good blogger is never supposed to… Read more
