Easy Desserts -

Skip to content

Free Printables Library

The Wait Is Over! The Joyful Celebration Studio is now open.

Home
A Joyful Ordinary Life – Blog
- About Me
Contact

The Joyful Celebration Studio
Shop
Cart

How to Create a Dessert Board: Easy Dessert Board Ideas for Entertaining
How to Make a Giant Cookie Cake: The Ultimate Easy Birthday Dessert

Terms & Conditions
Shipping and Returns Policy
Disclosure & Privacy Policy

One of the things I hadn't really thought about be

One of the things I hadn't really thought about before retirement was how much our friendships can change.

For years, many of our relationships are woven into the routines of work, raising families and busy everyday life. Then retirement arrives and suddenly those routines look very different.

Some friendships naturally become closer. Others drift away. And sometimes you realise that making and maintaining friendships at this stage of life takes a little more intention than it once did.

But I also think retirement gives us something we haven't always had enough of — "time".

Time for the long lunch that turns into an afternoon.
Time to send the message and actually organise the catch-up.
Time to reconnect with someone we've lost touch with.
And time to make room for new friendships too.

In my latest retirement article, I'm sharing my thoughts on friendship in retirement, why those connections matter and why I think nurturing them deserves a place in the retirement plans we make.

Because perhaps planning for retirement shouldn't only be about our finances and what we're going to do with our days.

We should also think about "who we want beside us while we're living them."❤️

The full article is now on A Joyful Ordinary Life.

#FriendshipsInRetirement #retirementlife❤️ #ʀᴇᴛɪʀᴇᴍᴇɴᴛᴘʟᴀɴɴɪɴɢ #retiredliving #lifeafterretirement😍

I know so many of you have been wanting to visit @

I know so many of you have been wanting to visit @springview_farm_… and I can now officially say — GO!!! 🤎

We absolutely loved our visit and, of course, came away with a few treasures. Although next time we’ve decided we may need to take wo cars so we can fit more in! 😂

Gayle and Matt are both so lovely, and the donkeys… well, you know how much I love a good animal cuddle. 🫏🤎 Honestly, they’re worth the visit alone.

And there were chooks!!! 🐓

Oldwares, animals and beautiful people — what more could you want? (Except perhaps a bigger car. 😂)

I’m going to share a little more from our weekend because this whole region is such a fabulous spot for a weekend away from the Goldie or Brisbane. We found some gorgeous places that I think you’ll love too.

But @springview_farm_? Definitely one for the list. 🤎

#SpringviewFarm #oldwares #countrystyledecor #ajoyfulordinarylife #gratefuleveryday❤️

Springview Farm | Stanthorpe | Granite Belt | vintage shopping | oldwares | country style decor | Queensland weekend getaway | things to do in Stanthorpe | weekend away from Brisbane | weekend away from the Gold Coast | Queensland road trip | country shopping | A Joyful Ordinary Life

This is one of those DIY projects that has definit

This is one of those DIY projects that has definitely earned its keep around our home! 🤍

We originally built this "DIY outdoor TV cabinet" for our pool deck because I wanted a way to hide the television when it wasn't being used and give it a little extra protection from the elements.

Tony built the simple cabinet and then added the decorative cross detail to the doors — because if we're going to have a big TV outside, I at least want it to look pretty when it's turned off! 😂

Since then, our outdoor spaces have changed and the cabinet has moved with them. It now lives in our outdoor bar area, where it fits in beautifully and continues to do exactly what we built it for.

I love when a DIY project can be repurposed rather than replaced.

I've shared the full step-by-step process for building our outdoor TV cabinet on the blog.

#DIYOutdoorTVCabinet #OutdoorTVCabinet #HomeDIYprojects #backyardrenovations #backyardtransformations

Thankful Thursday 🤍 We’ve had such a wonderful, b

Thankful Thursday 🤍

We’ve had such a wonderful, busy week filled with family, celebrations and lots of very special Hazel time. This week I’m grateful for:

1. 💍 Celebrating a beautiful wedding for my niece and her new husband. Such a lovely day filled with so much happiness, family and fun.

2. 🎂 The wedding cake arriving in one piece! Honestly, every time I make a wedding cake I say, “That’s it, this is the last one!” 😂 There’s nothing quite like the stress of transporting a cake you’ve spent hours making — but thankfully it made it safely and I could finally relax!

3. 🥰 Lots of time with Mitch, Em and especially Hazel.With Mum on Matron of Honour duties, Hazel had a wonderful time socialising with the bridal party and charming plenty of the other wedding guests too. She certainly knows how to work a room already!

4. 🤍 Looking after our sweet girl while Mum and Dad attended another wedding. The venue was absolutely beautiful, but I have to say, having some lovely quiet time with Hazel was definitely the best part for me.

5. 🥐 A much-needed slow Sunday. Croissants, a quiet day at home and doing very little after such a busy week felt pretty perfect.

And now the bags are being packed again! This time we’re heading away for a little weekend of vintage and op shopping — which sounds like a very good weekend to me. 🤎

Hope you’ve all had a wonderful day and found a few little things to be grateful for this week. xx

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

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

Retirement has made me think about my wardrobe in

Retirement has made me think about my wardrobe in a completely different way.

For so many years, part of getting dressed was dictated by work. Now I'm finding that my clothes need to suit a very different life — one that includes lunches with friends, time with family, travel, days at home, going out for dinner and everything in between.

But I've realised something else too.

I don't want a whole new "retirement wardrobe". I still want to look and feel like me. ❤️

So I've been looking at what I already own, the pieces I reach for again and again, where I think it's worth spending a little more and where I'm perfectly happy to hunt down a bargain.

And yes, there are definitely a few favourite brands that have earned their place in my wardrobe over the years!

I'm sharing my thoughts — and my real clothes — in the latest article on "A Joyful Ordinary Life".

Because retirement might change how we spend our days, but it certainly doesn't mean we have to stop enjoying getting dressed.

#RetirementStyle #RetirementWardrobe #retiredliving #retirementlifestyle💗 #lifeafterwork❤️

Three birthdays. One celebration. And a whole lot

Three birthdays. One celebration. And a whole lot less organising! 🎂🤍

As our kids have gotten older and everyone has busy lives of their own, getting the whole family together several times in one month isn't always easy.

So when birthdays fall close together, I'm a big fan of combining them into one beautiful celebration at home.

For this one, I kept things simple:
✨ a tablescape created mostly from pieces I already owned
🍔 help-yourself burger boards
🎂 a simple celebration cake and cupcakes
🤍 plenty of preparation beforehand so I could enjoy the day too

Because making a celebration easier doesn't mean making it any less special.

A beautiful table, generous food and a few thoughtful details are often all you need to turn a family get-together into something worth celebrating.

And most importantly? I actually got to sit down and enjoy it too. 🙌

You can find "How to Host a Beautiful Combined Birthday Party at Home" now on A Joyful Ordinary Life.

#CombinedBirthdayParty #ᴇɴᴛᴇʀᴛᴀɪɴɪɴɢᴀᴛʜᴏᴍᴇ #birthdaycelebrations🎉🎂❤️ #easyentertainingideas #stressfreeentertaining

Thankful Thursday 🤍 This has been such a lovely w

Thankful Thursday 🤍

This has been such a lovely week, filled with lots of family catch-ups and special little moments. This week I’m grateful for:

1. A lovely evening with Mitch’s family celebrating his 30th birthday. 🎂

2. A Father’s Day high tea with Dad and Wendy in Ballina. Such a nice way to spend some time together.

3. Getting to spend some time with Mitch to celebrate his very first Father’s Day, while Tony also got to enjoy some special time with Em and Hazel for his first Father’s Day as a Poppy. Lots of lovely firsts this year! 🥹🤍

4. A little Hazel time while Em had her hair cut. Honestly, why does everything just feel so much better when Hazel is around? 🤍

5. Some quality time with Em, Mitch and Hazel while we’re in Noosa for my niece’s wedding. Having everyone together makes it even more special.

And today is set to be another beautiful one, with the wedding happening! 💍🤍 I’m looking forward to celebrating, spending time with family and hopefully hitting the dance floor again — although my knee may have other ideas! 😂

Hope you all have a wonderful day and find a few little things to be grateful for this week. xx

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

I’ve never been an exercise person. And if I’m bei

I’ve never been an exercise person. And if I’m being completely truthful, I’m still not. 😂

But after damaging my knee, something changed. I became scared of hurting myself again, stopped trusting my body and, for the first time, I started to "feel old".

Then we found out we were going to become grandparents. 🤍

Suddenly, being stronger wasn’t about weight, appearance or forcing myself to love exercise. I wanted to be able to get down on the floor, pick up my grandchild, carry them without my arms aching and be the kind of grandmother I’d always imagined being.

So at 58, I finally did something about it.

Eight months later, I’m stronger, my troublesome knee is now something I barely think about, long-term aches and pains have improved, and best of all, I can cuddle Hazel for as long as I want. 🥰

Do I finally understand that famous exercise high everyone talks about?

Nope. Still waiting. 😂

But I’ve discovered something much more important — how good it feels to trust my body again.

My latest Retirement Reflections post, "Health in Retirement: How One Simple Change Made Me Stronger and More Confident", is now on the blog. Link in bio.

If exercise has never been your thing either, this one is especially for you. ❤️

#HealthInRetirement #RetirementReflections #HealthyAgeingmatters #ʀᴇᴛɪʀᴇᴍᴇɴᴛᴘʟᴀɴɴɪɴɢ #retiredliving

© 2026 • A Joyful Ordinary Life

Home
The Joyful Celebration Studio | Curated Party Boxes & Printable Party Designs
- Shop
- Cart
- My account

Search for: