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Some of the best home projects aren’t the biggest

Some of the best home projects aren’t the biggest ones—they’re the ones that quietly change how your home feels.

Adding colonial bars to our windows was one of those projects. It gave our home so much more character and complemented the traditional style we love, without replacing the existing windows.

If you love timeless homes with a little European or country charm, this simple DIY update might be just the inspiration you’re looking for.

🤍 You can find the full tutorial and before-and-after photos on A Joyful Ordinary Life.

#windowmullions #diywindowmullions #colonialwindows #beforeandafterhomemakeover #beforeandafterhomeedition🏡

Thankful Thursday 🤍 We’ve had a tough week this

Thankful Thursday 🤍

We’ve had a tough week this week as we said goodbye to Tony’s dad, Rick.

If I can give you one little reminder today, it’s this—visit your parents. Ring them more often. Sit and have the cuppa. Listen to the story you’ve probably heard before. 😘 Treasure the time you have with them now. 🤍

Even in a sad week, there are still things to be grateful for, and this week mine are...

1. The beautiful service for Rick and all the people who came to say goodbye and support his family🤍
2. Getting back to the gym after two weeks off. I can’t say my body was quite as grateful as I was, but we made it. 😂
3. Catching up with a relative I haven’t seen for a while and discovering that no time had really passed at all. We chatted for ages and could probably have kept going!
4. Finally catching up with a friend I’ve been trying to see for weeks. Sometimes life just keeps getting in the way, doesn’t it?
5. And last, but absolutely not least, snuggles with our beautiful Hazelnut. She somehow gets cuter every single time I see her—and yes, Gigi is completely unbiased. 😂🤍

I hope you’ve all had a lovely week. And if it’s been a tough one, I hope there have still been a few little moments of good tucked in amongst it.

What are you grateful for today? 🤍

#ThankfulThursday #ajoyfulordinarylife #feelingblessed❤️#gratefuleveryday❤️ #thankfulthursdays❤️

Have we made having people over far more complicat

Have we made having people over far more complicated than it needs to be? 🤍

Somewhere along the way, entertaining at home started to feel like an event.

The house needs to be spotless. The food needs to be impressive. The table should probably look Pinterest-worthy... and suddenly having a friend over for a cup of tea requires three days’ notice and a deep clean.

But it really doesn’t have to be that way.
Some of the best times we’ve had with family and friends have simply been sitting around a table, sharing food, talking, laughing and getting far too competitive over a board game. Nothing elaborate. Just time together.

If you’ve fallen out of the habit of inviting people over, maybe it’s time to start again. Put the kettle on, find something to put on a plate and invite someone you like over.

I’ve shared more in my latest post, The Joy of Entertaining at Home: How to Rediscover Simple Hospitality.
You can read it through the link in my bio.

#simplehospitality #entertainingathome #gathertogether #celebratesimply #hostwithconfidence

A joyful life isn’t built in grand moments. It’s f

A joyful life isn’t built in grand moments. It’s found around the table, in homes filled with laughter, connection and the people we love most. 🤍

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

Thankful Thursday 🤍 This week has been one of th

Thankful Thursday 🤍

This week has been one of the hardest our little family has faced in quite some time. We said goodbye to Tony’s dad, and Em found herself back in hospital for the second time since welcoming our precious little Hazel.

Like everyone else, I sometimes struggle to find my thankfuls during weeks like this. But they’re still there if I look for them. This week I am so grateful for:-

🤍 1. Our neighbours who anonymously placed pink balloons in our garden. We discovered them when we arrived home after saying goodbye to Tony’s dad. It was such a gentle reminder that even in the midst of loss, life continues. It also reminded me that the small acts of kindness we do for others can often have a far greater impact than we’ll ever know.
🤍 2. Enjoying a wonderful night out with friends on Friday, completely unaware of what the weekend would bring.
🤍 3. I’m grateful that we still chose to go to our Christmas in July lunch with friends on Sunday. Spending time with people who care about us was exactly what we needed.
🤍 4. I’m incredibly thankful that Em has private health insurance. My beautiful girl has been through so much over the past three and a half weeks, and I couldn’t be prouder of how she’s handled it all.
🤍 5. And finally, I’m thankful for our sweet little Hazel. In the middle of everything, she continues to remind us that there is still so much joy, hope and love to be found.

Some weeks, gratitude doesn’t come easily. Sometimes it’s found in balloons left by kind neighbours, the support of family and friends, access to good medical care, or the tiny hand of a newborn wrapped around your finger.

This week, I’m holding tightly to those things. 🤍

#ThankfulThursday #ajoyfulordinarylife #feelingblessed❤️#gratefuleveryday❤️ #thankfulthursdays❤️ thankfulthursday🙏

There comes a season when something quietly change

There comes a season when something quietly changes.

The kids grow. Life shifts. And somewhere along the way, we lose touch with parts of ourselves we didn’t even realise were slipping away.

I don’t think we need to reinvent ourselves or find our purpose. I think we just need to find our way back to who we’ve always been.

It doesn’t happen all at once. It comes back quietly — one cup of coffee with a friend, one new recipe, one small step at a time.

If that feels familiar, I’ve written something for you today. Link in bio and stories 🤍

#slowliving_ #midlifejourney #rediscoveryourself #emptynesterlife #confidenceovercomparison womenover40 quietluxury ordinarymoments

Not every day is exciting, but I’ve learned that o

Not every day is exciting, but I’ve learned that ordinary days can be beautiful too. 🤍

Most days you’ll find me sharing a cuppa with Tony, working on the blog, helping with our family business, wandering through the garden, checking in on loved ones, and ending the day with a good book and a grateful heart.

These simple rhythms may not seem extraordinary, but they’re the moments that make up a joyful life.
I’d love to know—what’s one small part of your daily routine that brings you joy? ✨

#simpleliving #slowlivingforlife #gratitudepractice #simplepleasures❤️ #thrivinginmidlife

This week feels like a big one. After months of

This week feels like a big one.

After months of planning, creating, learning and more late nights than I care to admit, Em and I have finally launched The Joyful Celebration Studio.

Looking back, I completely underestimated how much work it would take... but I can honestly say I’ve loved every minute of bringing this dream to life.

This week, I’m especially grateful for...

1. Taking a chance on something I truly love.
2. All the support you have shown our new little business. It means the world ❤️
3. A quick visit from my bestie. Sometimes a cup of tea and a good chat are exactly what’s needed.
4. Doing a little online shopping for my gorgeous granddaughter. It still feels so strange (and so wonderful!) to say that. 💕
5. Tony, for looking after me after having my tooth out. Definitely not my favourite day, but it will be nice to be without the throbbing pain.
6. And finally... although she’s number six on this list, she’ll always be number one to her Gigi—our beautiful little Hazel, who gives the very best snuggles. 🥰

There is always something to be thankful for, even in the busiest seasons.

What are you grateful for this week? I’d love to hear in the comments. 🤍

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