A lifestyle blog
Looking for a fun activity this Valentine’s Day? Cookie decorating has become my go-to destressing holiday activity. My mother and I made some for Christmas and this time around I invited my bestie to decorate some hearts. They may not be winning any awards for looks, but we sure had fun decorating them. Plus if you can part with some of your better designs, they’ll make a cute gift too.
If you’re decorating your tree this weekend, then you might be on the hunt for a few new additions. Instead of doing gift guides this year, which can be overwhelming, I’m sharing my top decor picks. Whether you want to add something special to your tree, or simply love seeing all the glittery items, I hope you enjoy my favourites from this year’s selection.
I’ve been absent from the blog for the majority of the year, but I’ve been itching to get back at it. Initially I had a lack of inspiration. Then in May we bought a house, which we hope will be our forever home, but it has ended up taking A LOT of our time. Now I have more than enough ideas to share, but feel like there isn’t enough hours in a day.
I want to preface this by saying that I know that we are incredibly fortunate to be in a position where we could purchase a property. I feel incredibly lucky and appreciate that this isn’t something within everyone’s means. In saying that it also wasn’t easy, we saved for several years and the bank still owns the majority of the house. We’ve also sold our old property privately. But if all goes according to plan, in twenty to thirty long years it will be ours and will be almost unrecognisable.
I’ve been hunting for beautiful mirrors for our home for the last few weeks. I’ve subsequently developed a minor obsession with beautiful mirrors. Since I’ve found way more amazing mirrors than I could possibly every need, I thought I’d share them with you. I’ve tagged the ones that I own, but I love all of these. You’ll notice I’m obsessed with antique-style mirrors. Anything in brass, with an interesting shape or with a shelf has drawing my attention. Unfortunately many of them aren’t very budget friendly. Don’t let that put you off though as Facebook Marketplace and Gumtree are also great resources.
I recently purchased myself a cast iron skillet and it has legitimately revolutionised my way of cooking. I took the plunge after seeing a heat mark emerging on my beloved non-stick pan. It made me realise what I have always known, non-stick or Teflon coated pans simply can’t handle high heat. Surprisingly a cast iron skillet also wasn’t as big an investment as I had anticipated. So with my recent purchase in mind, I thought I’d share my five essential pots and pans that everyone needs in their kitchen drawer. If you have any to add, please drop a comment below! I’m sure that this list could grow.
Making some last minute Valentine’s day plans? Here are a few gift ideas, featuring everything from the cliche to the more eclectic. While Valentine’s Day gifts certainly aren’t a requirement, I simply can’t resist an excuse for pink and red.
Clockwise from the top: Heart Lolly | Poetry Chocolate Honeycomb Slab | Fresh flowers | Neon Heart | Blush Mug
If you’re anything like me, you probably spend at least an hour each day, if not more, in the kitchen. But so often a kitchen falls to the way side, especially if it isn’t the kitchen of your dream. So I thought I’d share how I made my less than ideal kitchen look prettier on a budget. These tips are great and should help you, whether you’re renting or simply looking to make an existing kitchen work.
This is my number one tip on making kitchens look better! Stash away as much as possible and keep those counter tops clear. You really only want to have things out that either doesn’t fit elsewhere (hello microwave) and basics like salt and pepper, that you reach for often, out on the counter. Limit your small appliances to the ones you use daily and put the rest away, but still within easy reach. If your kitchen is small, this is the single best tip to make it feel bigger and to free up more counter prep space.
This is one of my personal pet peeves, but in South Africa so many homes have raw wood back doors that have simply been varnished. It does come down to personal preference, but if you find yourself unhappy with the overall look I’d recommend you try painting the orange-red tone door either white or a dark colour. It is amazing how much sleeker a room feels if you limit the wood tones in it. Sanding the door down to a beautiful raw wood tone (at least on the inside), could also be a beautiful way to add warmth to a plain white kitchen.
This brings me to the colours you introduce into your kitchen. It is so easy to fall for all the pretty pastels, but if you’re dealing with a less than ideal kitchen restraining your colour palette is the best way to tone it down. I’m not saying all the miss-matched tupperware must go, but perhaps consider re-bottling some of your sink side essentials into clear glass bottles or removing the labels of products on display. Less visual clutter is always better!
There are some things in your kitchen that you simply can’t hide. I advise you invest a little more in them, especially if it is something that you’ll be able to use for years to come. Think a beautiful gold dish drying tray, colour coordinated dishtowels and beautiful utilitarian items. Sometimes these might cost more or require more digging to find, but the joy they bring are so worth it. I’ve rounded up a few of my favourites (and a few ‘when-I-win-the-lotto’ items), down below. I still think one of the saddest things about adult life is spending that much money on a rubbish bin, but at least I found some pretty ones!
Something people often forget to do is to actually decorate the space as you would any other room in the house. Introducing your personality and style doesn’t have to mean you can only think about fridge magnets! Lay down a washable rug or beautiful bath mat to cover unsightly floors and introduce art work into the space. I like the look of beautiful trivets stacked against chopping boards and creating the transitional style I personally love through both classic and modern accessories. For you, this could mean something mid-century or glamorous depending on your personal style. I also don’t think you can overestimate the power of fresh flowers or a beautiful potted plant. Herbs are a popular choice for good reason.
1. Salt and Pepper Grinders | 2. Kettle | 3. Serviette holder | 4. Slotted spoon
5. Bin | 6. Broom | 7. Utensil holder | 8. Dishrack
I hope you find these tips helpful in dealing with a basic kitchen and that this will help you enjoy the space that much more!
I feel like I’ve lost my blogging motivation a little and there probably isn’t a single reason, but I was struggling to figure out where I fit in. I’m doing it part-time, really only as a hobby, and I can’t compete with most blogs as they’ve become so editorial. I still enjoy those blogs, but that level of professionalism simply isn’t possible for me. I don’t make use of a professional photographer, don’t buy things only for the blog and producing a single post often has to spread out over three days.
But as I was sitting on my couch now, I realised I wanted to share our living room (great room?). It is our all-in-one living and dining room that doesn’t come to more than 30 square meters. It isn’t ‘done’ in the traditional sense of the word and I’m not being modest like most bloggers (we’re missing half our gallery wall) but our new flooring just pleases me so greatly that I can finally share the room with some pride. To say it has been a work in progress is probably an understatement. We moved in four years ago with only two small bookshelves and a borrowed couch. We’ve come a long way since then, so I’d love to share how we made this small living-cum-dining room work for us and our cats.
I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again, I think men are the hardest to shop for. At least the men in my life are! They aren’t metro men, so skin care or simple treats don’t really spark joy. If there is something they need or desperately want, they buy it. That only leaves items that are way out of anyone’s budget and a few obscure buys. If you have a similar experience when it comes to buying for men, or you’ve left Christmas shopping until the last minute for any other reason, this guide might help you.
It is that time of the year again! If you haven’t purchased gifts for all the ladies in your life yet, then perhaps some of these ideas might serve as inspiration.
I’m starting with my favourite category, home goods! H&M Home and Poetry are usually my first stops. A beautiful plant (cactus or orchid) with a pot is one of my favourite gifts to give. This one from H&M fits the bill perfectly. I also recently bought two very pretty plant pots for under R200 each at Weylandts (not available online), so definitely worth a look. You also can’t go wrong with a marble cheese board. This one from Poetry is sold out online, but the wooden one is similarly priced and just as pretty. Occasional cutlery also makes a beautiful gift and I just purchased this cake fork set for myself. These golden tea spoons are just as pretty from H&M.