Whether or not you feel as though you are ready for fall, it has arrived. The days are getting shorter, the air is crisp and cool, and it is time to get your home ready for what is in store over the next few months. Thankfully, there are some simple ways to get your home ready for fall that do not require much effort. When the seasons change, our home needs do as well. The fall months are the perfect time to perform some seasonal maintenance. This will make sure that your home remains ... Read More
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2021–A New Start
2021 has been warm (a bit too warm for me--I'm not overly a summer person!) in the Bay of Plenty. I didn't stay up to see the end of 2020--I held it to its word that the year would see itself out. Saying 2020 was hard is inadequate and I wish I had something inspirational to expound on. 2019 ended on a strange note for me. I had gone back to the States for the first time in years and went on a FAM that had me looking up real estate prices in Montana. I was slammed with an unexpected sense ... Read More
Keep the Beach Where it Belongs with the Tesalate Sand-Free Towel
I was 17 before I saw the ocean for the first time. It was the summer before my senior year of high school and my grandfather took us on a holiday to Emerald Isle, North Carolina. I. was. smitten. I loved the beach. I loved lounging on the sand and playing in the waves. Part of our move to New Zealand was to be near our favourite beach in the world so that the girls could experience life by the water. We go to Mount Maunganui regularly (even now that it's winter). Even if the water is too cold, ... Read More
Llamas in the Kitchen Gift Guide
This post contains sponsored content. I am a member of the Cost Plus World Market Tribe. Llamas are trending right now and who can complain?! They're cute, fluffy, and just make you smile. Cost Plus World Market has gone llama crazy and has everything from llama ornaments to a llama lamp! I've rounded up seven fun llama products from Cost Plus World Market that will be perfect for your kitchen or to gift to your favorite llama loving friend! To add to all of the llama fun, Cost Plus ... Read More
Metallic Stenciled Entry Wall
This post contains sponsored content. When we bought this house, we knew it was going to be a long process to fix it up to the point where we were completely happy. The bones of the house are good, but it hadn't been updated at all since it was built. It has the added burden of being one of the first houses built in our neighborhood, so it's quite different than most of our neighbors. The later houses mostly have double height entries, whereas ours doesn't (but it has another bedroom, so ... Read More
Whimsical Painted Kids Desk
This post contains sponsored content. I've been really enjoying letting the girls make some creative choices in their bedrooms. It isn't always easy for me to step back, but it's so fun to see the happy pieces they come up with when I do. We had a small desk sitting around that we decided would get more use in Madeline's room. The purple color didn't go with her room at all, so I let her choose what colors she wanted it painted. The November theme for The Fab Furniture Flippin' Contest was ... Read More