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Becoming a Grandparent: Finding Your Place in This Beautiful New Chapter
Friendships in Retirement: Why Strong Relationships Matter More Than Ever
Retirement Wardrobe: How to Dress for the Life You’re Living Now
Health in Retirement: How One Simple Change Made Me Stronger and More Confident
Why Creating a Home You Love Could Be the Best Retirement Decision You Ever Make
Retirement: Who Are You Without Your Job? Create a Life You Truly Love
Retirement: How Curiosity Can Transform Your Life
Travel Planning Without Overplanning: The Simple Way to Happier Holidays

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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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Who says beautiful Christmas decorations have to c

Who says beautiful Christmas decorations have to cost a fortune? 🎄✨

Sometimes all it takes is a little imagination, a few pretty details and a hot glue gun! 😂

I’ve had this old Christmas tree collar from Kmart for years, and rather than buying something new to suit my champagne and pearl Christmas decorating theme, I decided to give it a little makeover.

And I’m so happy with how it turned out! 🤍

It was such an easy project, and here’s exactly what I did:

✨ Step 1: Gave the old tree collar a coat of gold paint.

✨ Step 2: Added a layer of copper paint over the gold, which created a beautiful soft rose gold effect.

✨ Step 3: Using long strands of pearl trim (approximately 6mm pearls), I carefully attached the pearls around the top and bottom edges with a hot glue gun.

And that was it! A simple, inexpensive makeover that looks so pretty sitting beneath my Christmas tree.

I’m a big believer that creating a beautiful home doesn’t always mean buying something new or spending a fortune. Sometimes it’s those little DIY touches that make everything feel a bit more special.

And the best part? I got to give something old a whole new life!

Save this one for your Christmas decorating inspiration. 🎄

Are you someone who loves a good DIY makeover, or would you rather buy it ready-made?

#diychristmasdecorations #christmastreeskirts #christmastreeideas🎄 #ChristmasDecoratingideas #ElegantChristmasDecor

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There’s something lovely about sending your guests

There’s something lovely about sending your guests home with a little something you’ve made yourself. 🤍

These sweet little soy candles were originally created as take-home gifts for each place setting on my Christmas table — and they turned out to be such a simple but special addition.

I made them in small shot glasses, which was the perfect size for a little candle and meant they looked beautiful sitting at each guest’s place without taking over the table.

And while I’m definitely NOT a professional candle maker 😂, they were surprisingly easy to make at home.

If you love adding those thoughtful little details when you entertain — or you’re looking for a beautiful handmade gift idea for Christmas — I’ve shared exactly how I made them on the blog.

Save this one for your Christmas planning 🎄✨

Would you make these for your guests?

#christmasentertainingathome #handmadechristmasgifts #christmastabledecoration #christmasgiftideas🎄🎁 #AJoyfulOrdinaryLife

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THANKFUL THURSDAY 🤎 What a wonderful week it’s be

THANKFUL THURSDAY 🤎

What a wonderful week it’s been, celebrating Em and Mitch both turning 30! 🎉

I absolutely love gathering the people we care about to celebrate the big things, the little things and everything in between. If there’s one thing life has taught me, it’s that we never really know what’s around the corner — so when there’s an opportunity to celebrate, take it! ❤️

This week I’m especially grateful for:

1. 🎂 The opportunity to make another birthday cake. I thought this one turned out really lovely! Please excuse the terrible video — once again, I was so busy enjoying everything that I barely took any photos of the party OR the cake. You’d think I would have learnt by now. 😂

2. ❤️ A casual dinner and catch-up with family after a meeting. Nothing elaborate, just good food and time together — always something to be grateful for.

3. 🌸 A trip to the flower market. There were SO many beautiful flowers this week and I may have got a little carried away. The good news is I’m still enjoying them now!

4. 🎉 A successful party on Saturday night! The weather was absolutely perfect, the food was eaten (always a good sign! 😂), and most importantly, I think everyone had a wonderful time celebrating Em and Mitch.

5. 🥐 A very relaxing Croissant Sunday with Dad and Wendy, Em and Mitch. And thankfully it was a long weekend, which meant some of the party clean-up
could very happily become Monday’s problem. 😂

It was one of those weeks that reminded me again just how much I love bringing people together and making a fuss of the people we love while we have the chance.

I hope you’ve all had a wonderful week too. 🤎

And now I’m preparing for something rather fun happening tomorrow… and I’m VERY excited to share it with you! 👀✨

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

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

Is anyone else starting to think about Christmas y

Is anyone else starting to think about Christmas yet? 🎄

I’ve always been a planner, and Christmas is definitely one occasion where I think a little preparation can make a HUGE difference.

For me, Christmas planning isn’t about having every little detail perfect. It’s actually the opposite.

It’s about getting some of the decisions, shopping and organising out of the way early so that when December arrives, there’s more time for the things I really love — decorating the house, catching up with friends, cooking favourite recipes and simply enjoying Christmas with my people. ❤️

In my Christmas planning post, I’m sharing the simple things I do ahead of time to make the festive season feel a little less frantic and a lot more joyful.

🎁 And I’ve created a FREE 35-page Christmas Planning Guide to help you do exactly that!

There are pages to help you organise your plans, lists and Christmas to-dos all in one place — so you can start now, do a little at a time and hopefully arrive at December feeling much more organised.

You can download your FREE Christmas Planning Guide through the blog post and start planning at your own pace.

I’m not suggesting you put the Christmas tree up just yet… 😂

But making a few lists and getting a head start on Christmas? That I can definitely get behind.

🎄 Save this for when you’re ready to start planning and head to the blog to grab your free guide.

#ChristmasPlanning #ChristmasPlanningGuide #freechristmasplannerprintable #christmaspreparation #stressfreechristmas

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