This post contains Amazon affiliate links If you have a book lover in your life, then finding a gift for them this Christmas is easy! Just think about what sort of book lover they are (or maybe they are like me, and could fit into every category!) Gift ideas for book lovers... ...with a large 'To Be Read' pile I always have a pile of books that I want to read, and I enjoy having a selection that I can choose from depending on my mood. Help your book lover to keep them organised with some pretty bookends (affiliate link),  a decorative shallow basket (affiliate link) or even a large book ..read more

Welcome to one of my regular posts, when I share some of the books that I've read recently and have particularly enjoyed. I track all of the books that I read over on Goodreads.  Moby Duck by Donovan Hohn This read was inspired by our visit to the Frost Science Museum in Miami last year. I had heard the story of the bath toys that were lost from a container ship back in 1992 but I was interested to learn more. I took a quick photo of this book in one of the display cases, meaning to look it up when we got home. I forgot of course, and only came across the photo a few weeks ago. It looks a ..read more

We are very close to the end of our orangery extension project, and we are really pleased with it. The building work is finished, we have a beautiful tiled floor, the walls are nearly all painted, and all that is left is the installation of the kitchen which is progressing really well. I'm so grateful that we've been able to have this work done, and I'm really looking forward to enjoying it properly once all the work is done. The other night it was pouring with rain, and it felt so cosy to stand under the lantern roof and listen to it, even if we were surrounded by cardboard boxes and dust! I ..read more

This is a collaborative post As a car owner, you’ve got the power to go wherever you want, whenever you want. However, for all the conveniences car ownership brings, it also comes with a host of responsibilities that can seem overwhelming. Ensuring you get the most out of your vehicle involves dealing with tasks ranging from obtaining the right insurance to carrying out regular maintenance. Here’s your guide on how to navigate the essential life admin tasks that every car owner should know.  Proper Insurance Coverage Owning a car without insurance is not just a legal risk but also a finan ..read more

I feel as though I have a lot going on at the moment! Life feels very busy, and we are living in upheaval at the moment which I find quite stressful. But I can't complain as we were able to enjoy an amazing holiday in Florida over half term, and the work on our house is very close to being finished. So here are some of the things that I've been up to lately: Reading I didn't read nearly as much as I expected to on holiday - we had full on days and I was too exhausted in the evening to manage more than a few pages. I enjoyed The Twilight Garden by Sara Nisha Adams and The Day Shelley Woodhouse ..read more

This is a collaborative post There is no space in the home more important than the bedroom. It is amazing the impact that the bedroom can have on our mental well-being, so it is always worth considering ways that you can create a relaxing space that will bring peace and quiet to a busy life and help ensure a good night’s rest. Keep reading for a few bedroom design ideas to improve your well-being.  Declutter & Increase the Space We are all guilty of neglecting our bedroom from time to time. This means that clutter can very quickly build up, creating a stressful environment that affect ..read more

This is a collaborative post As Aussies, a love of sport is ingrained in our DNA, so much so that according to a survey by AusPlay, over 19 million of us (aged 15 or over) partook in some kind of sport or physical activity in 2021-22. Regardless of whether this was at a professional, grade or recreational level, much of this participation took place outdoors and could not have been conducted anywhere near as effectively if the individuals involved weren’t wearing sunglasses. Generally speaking, sunglasses are not worn in contact sports like NRL, AFL, hockey and soccer. There are simply too man ..read more

I've written diaries since I was a teenager. Writing a page before I went to sleep helped a lot with my teenage angst, even if now I can't bear to look back through those old entries! When I stopped regular diary writing I always made holiday scrapbooks to document my travels, and I made baby journals to record milestones. Recently I started writing again, and this time I call it journalling. Instead of a regular diary I write dated entries in a blank book, and I don't feel the pressure to write every day.  Sometimes I write about what I've done that day, but most of the time I just write ..read more

Last week we took a trip to Ikea. This is quite exciting for me, as we don't have one close by and so we need to make a specific trip. We usually only go when there is something in particular that we are after, but I can't stop myself picking up a few extras as I go round.  Here are some of the things that always seem to make their way to the checkout: Baskets and trays I have a gorgeous basket in the living room which I use to store blankets, and square baskets which fit perfectly onto my Billy bookcases. I always spot some pretty storage item that I know will be both useful and decorati ..read more

I have many collections. I particularly like to collect things which don't take up very much space, and colourful paper ephemera has always appealed to me. My parents are having a sort out and I was delighted to be able to take ownership of a big pile of vintage birthday cards from the late 1940s and early 1950s as well as some that were even older. I just love them, they are so bright and colourful with such cheerful images. This is just a few of them, I have several from each year as well as lots of general birthday cards and also some Christmas cards. I feel as though they could be made i ..read more