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Retirement: How Curiosity Can Transform Your Life
Travel Planning Without Overplanning: The Simple Way to Happier Holidays
Simple Ways to Create a Calm Home That Feels Peaceful, Personal and Full of Heart
The Most Important Retirement Conversations Every Couple Should Have
When to Start Planning for Retirement: The Simple Mistake Most People Make
Why Life in Your 50s Can Be the Most Beautiful Chapter Yet
Finding Your Purpose: What If a Beautiful Life Is Purpose Enough?
How to Rediscover Yourself: A Beautiful Life Isn’t Found, It’s Rediscovered

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I’ve never been one to follow trends when it comes

I’ve never been one to follow trends when it comes to decorating our home. 🤍

I love beautiful interiors as much as anyone, but I’ve always believed that a home should tell the story of the people who live there.

I want a home filled with things we’ve collected over the years, pieces that have meaning, treasures that make me smile and little corners that feel completely and authentically *us*.

Some things are old, some are new, some probably don’t go together according to the latest decorating rules… but I love them anyway! 😂

And while I love rearranging, decorating and making our home beautiful, I’m certainly not chasing perfection.

I want a home that feels warm, welcoming, lived in and loved. A place where family and friends feel comfortable, memories are made and there’s always room for one more around the table.

Because to me, a beautiful home isn’t about keeping up with trends. It’s about creating a space that makes you happy every time you walk through the door. ❤️

What about you? Do you follow decorating trends or prefer to fill your home with things you love?

#AJoyfulOrdinaryLife #CollectedHomes #HomeWithPersonality #MeaningfulHome #SlowLivingstyle

There’s something particularly special about setti

There’s something particularly special about setting the table at Christmas 🤍

For this Christmas tablescape, I wanted to create something that felt beautiful and a little magical — but still relaxed enough for everyone to sit, eat and enjoy being together.

I started with a simple white tablecloth and white dinnerware, added silver details and rich navy napkins, then created a little glowing winter village through the centre of the table.

Greenery, baby’s breath, bottle brush trees, tiny illuminated houses and just a "little" faux snow brought it all together. (Emphasis on "little" — unless you fancy finding faux snow around the house until February. 😂)

And while I love creating a beautiful table, I’m a firm believer that it still needs to work. Guests should be able to see each other, reach their glasses and have somewhere to put the food!

You also don’t need to recreate every detail or buy everything new. Start with what you already own and use the table as inspiration — perhaps some greenery from the garden, Christmas houses from the mantel or an old timber board turned into a riser.

Because ultimately, the most important part isn't how perfect the table looks.

It’s what happens once everyone sits around it. 🤍

I’m sharing all the details in "How to Create a Beautiful Christmas Tablescape Your Guests Will Love" on A Joyful Ordinary Life.

Head to the link in my bio to read the full post.

#ChristmasTablescape #ChristmasTabledecoration #ChristmasTableSettings #ChristmasEntertaining #christmasdecorations🎄✨

Thankful Thursday 🤍 This week has been a little s

Thankful Thursday 🤍

This week has been a little slower than the last few, and I have to say, it's been rather lovely! Sometimes it's nice to have a week without quite so much happening and just enjoy the little things. 🥰

This week I'm grateful for:

1. A lovely visit with Dad and Wendy so they could spend some time with Hazel before heading off on their travels. Always special to see them together.

2. A catch-up with a lovely friend. There's nothing quite like good company and a proper chat!

3. A wet weekend that gave me the perfect excuse to stay home and catch up on some work. Sometimes a rainy weekend is exactly what you need, especially when there's a long to-do list waiting!

4. Some really encouraging results from testing at the gym. It's always nice to see that the effort you're putting in is actually paying off. 💪

5. Spending some precious time with my two favourite girls. I will always be grateful for those moments❤️

Nothing particularly grand or exciting this week, just lots of lovely ordinary moments. And really, isn't that what life is all about?

I hope you've all had a wonderful week too. What's something you're feeling grateful for today? I'd love to hear. 🤍

#thankfulthursdays❤️ #feelingblessed❤️ #feelingblessed❤️ #gratefuleveryday❤️
#thankfulthursday🙏

Gratitude • Thankful Thursday • Joyful living • Everyday moments • Finding joy in everyday life

Some of our best Christmas memories have nothing t

Some of our best Christmas memories have nothing to do with the presents or even the food… they’re the moments when everyone is together "laughing until it hurts."😂

Over the years, Christmas Day games have become a bit of a tradition in our family — and these three have been some of our absolute favourites.

🎯 A Nerf Gun Christmas Shooting Gallery
🎁 The wonderfully chaotic Right Left Game
🏁 Wind-Up Christmas Character Racing

They’re simple, work for a mixture of ages and, most importantly, get everyone involved. And yes… apparently adding a few prizes can turn even the most mild-mannered family member VERY competitive. 😂

I’ve shared exactly how we set up and play all three in my latest post, "3 Fun Christmas Day Games the Whole Family Will Love", along with easy prize ideas and a couple of free printables to help you recreate them at home.

Because the Christmas table might be beautiful and the food might be delicious, but it’s usually the ridiculous moments together that we remember most. ❤️

Head to the blog for all the details.

#ChristmasDayGames #ChristmasGameswithfamily #christmastraditions🎄🎅 #FamilyChristmasGames #christmasplanning

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🍫 Warm, gooey, chocolatey goodness… does it get mu

🍫 Warm, gooey, chocolatey goodness… does it get much better than this? 😍

There’s something so comforting about a good old-fashioned chocolate self-saucing pudding, especially when it comes straight from the oven with that delicious, rich chocolate sauce hiding underneath!

This is one of those recipes I come back to time and time again. It takes just minutes to prepare, uses mostly pantry staples, and the oven does all the hard work. My kind of dessert! 😂

And of course, a generous scoop of vanilla ice cream melting over the top is an absolute must!

Perfect for family dinners, entertaining friends or those evenings when you just NEED a little chocolate in your life. ❤️

🍫 Want to make it yourself? The full recipe and all my tips are over on the blog. Just head to the link in my bio!

Are you an ice cream or cream person when it comes to warm chocolate pudding? I'm definitely team cream and Tony is team ice cream all the way! 🍨

#ChocolateSelfSaucingPudding #EasyDessertRecipes #hᴏᴍᴇᴍᴀᴅᴇdᴇssᴇʀᴛs #comfortfoodrecipes😋 #chocolatepudding

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THANKFUL THURSDAY What a whirlwind of a week it's

THANKFUL THURSDAY

What a whirlwind of a week it's been, but in the very best possible way!

This week I'm grateful for:

1. A fabulous photoshoot with @kat_lucas_photography and Em. We had such a fun day and I can't wait to share what we've been working on with you all. 🤍

2. Finally finding some time to get my house back in order! I really don't function well when everything is all over the place. Although, I have become quite skilled at turning a blind eye to the garage!!! 😂 Out of sight, out of mind, right?

3. A lovely long phone catch-up with my bestie AND another one with Wendy on the same day! Sometimes a good old-fashioned chat is just what you need.

4. A long-overdue catch-up with a friend in the prettiest little café. Add some beautiful flowers that I was lucky enough to receive and really, what more could a girl want? Good company, a pretty setting and flowers, my kind of morning!

5. Getting my annual medical appointments and checks done. Not the most exciting thing on the list, but I'm doing my best to stay on top of my health. After all, there's far too much living and enjoying life still to be done!

6. A sweet little visit from Em and Hazel to look through the photos from our shoot. Any excuse for another cuddle with my gorgeous granddaughter is a good one!

And now, I have a feeling the next few weeks are going to be rather busy as I start preparing for Christmas!

I know, I know… it's only October, and I apologise in advance to anyone who breaks out in a cold sweat at the mere mention of Christmas this early!

But here's the thing — preparing early is exactly how I get to enjoy Christmas without all the stress. A little planning now means more time later for the things I really love — decorating, cooking, gathering with family and friends and soaking up all the joy of the season.

And if there's one thing I've learned, it's that life is far too short not to make the most of these special times. ❤️

I hope you've all had a lovely week and that, amongst the busyness of everyday life, you've found plenty of little things to be grateful for.

#thankfulthursdays❤️ #feelingblessed❤️ #feelingblessed❤️ #gratefuleveryday❤️
#thankfulthursday🙏

There's just something magical about a beautifully

There's just something magical about a beautifully decorated Christmas tree, isn't there?

Every year I love coming up with a theme for our Christmas decorating, and this year I've gone for something a little softer and more elegant — champagne tones, delicate pearls, beautiful ribbons, florals and just the right amount of sparkle.

I wanted to create a timeless Christmas tree that felt luxurious but still warm and welcoming. Something that would look just as beautiful in years to come as it does today.

And if you've been following along this week, you'll have seen that I've been sharing a couple of little DIY projects that helped bring the whole look together.

My Christmas tree collar makeover and my Gift Tag upgrade. Rather than always buying new, see if you can update something you already own.

I think that's one of my favourite parts of decorating — finding creative ways to use what I already have and adding those little personal touches that make everything feel special.

In my latest blog post, Timeless Christmas Tree Ideas: Elegant Decorating Made Easy, I'm sharing how I brought the whole look together, along with some simple ideas to help you create a beautiful, coordinated Christmas tree of your own.

Because a beautiful Christmas doesn't have to come with a beautiful big price tag! 😂🎄

✨ Head over to the blog for all the details — link in bio.

And if you missed my two DIY reels earlier this week, pop back and have a look. They're both such easy projects you could try yourself!

I'd love to know — do you enjoy giving your existing Christmas decorations a makeover, or are you tempted by all the new decorations in the shops each year? (I'm definitely guilty of both! 😂)

#TimelessChristmasTree #christmastreeideas🎄 #ElegantChristmasDecor #diychristmasdecoration #christmasdecoratingideas

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It’s amazing what a few little changes can do! 🎄✨

It’s amazing what a few little changes can do! 🎄✨

You don’t always need to buy new decorations to create a beautifully coordinated Christmas theme. Sometimes it’s just a matter of giving what you already have a little makeover!

I had some lovely gift tags, but they weren’t quite right for my champagne and pearl Christmas theme. So rather than searching for something new, I decided to make a few simple changes. 🤍

And honestly, it couldn’t have been easier!

✨ Step 1: Swapped the original ribbon for something that complemented my Christmas colour scheme.

✨ Step 2: Added a few stick-on pearls for a pretty, elegant touch.

✨ Step 3: Used a gold pen to highlight some of the details and tie everything together.

That’s it! Three tiny changes that made these gift tags feel like they were made especially for my Christmas theme.

I love finding simple, inexpensive ways to make everything feel a little more special, and it’s often these thoughtful finishing touches that bring the whole look together.

Save this one for your Christmas gift wrapping inspiration! 🎁

Do you like to coordinate your Christmas wrapping with your decorating theme, or do you prefer a mix of colours and patterns?

#christmasgiftwrappingideas #DIYChristmasDecoration #christmaswrappingideas🎄#gifttagsdesign #christmaswrappingideas

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