that nesting instinct

i think i might have hit the "nesting" phase of my pregnancy, so nursery, baby, de-cluttering and home organising are a few things that i am exploring and searching on the internet at the moment.

That Nesting Instinct During Pregnancy

Reorganizing the closets, alphabetizing the spice rack, and thwarting dust-bunny breeding efforts under the bed? Welcome to a pre-labor ritual that helps get your home ready for the baby, and helps you pass the time.

from here

today i am writing lists for what needs to be done in the next 5 weeks, making a mobile for the new nursery, hanging pictures, frames and mirrors that have been standing in their new positions for ages now, putting up some shelving and hooks for easier storage in and around the house and starting to sort through some of anton's old clothes to be packed into hendriks's cupboards.

These little animals are the starting point of the mobile that i want to make for the nursery - i will post the end product when it is complete.

i went for a doctor's check up yesterday and all is well with mom and baby - for the time being we are still set for the 26th of february. have a lovely day xoxo

Marvelous Monday

Hello dear readers, I hope you had a wonderful weekend and are feeling rested and ready for this new week ahead.

This week I would like to focus on a few things in and the around the kitchen. With Anton having started eating solid foods in the past few weeks, the husband providing too much meat for two people to consume from the farm - Kudu, Eland, Impala... you name it, I have it! - I am foreseeing a good few hours in the kitchen.

Can anyone say venison pie, steamed, liquidised veggies, kudu roast or biltong !? Let the cooking games begin!

Although I do like to page through recipe books, read cooking or recipes specific blogs and watch cooking programs, I am not one to strictly follow recipes. I find recipes too regulated and strict, but great for inspiration and sparking ideas; the kitchen is where I like to experiment and play.

A few of my favourite culinary inspirations include:
Punchfork
Foodgawker
I love cooking
Whats for dinner

My kitchen_this is where I play!

Perhaps with spring winking at us some of you are less focused on food than on putting on your gym gear, but who said cooking and eating cant be yum and healthy!? More on this tomorrow.

For the little one

I am finally starting work on our new nursery this week! And after being tremendously spoilt by my family and friends with a surprise babyshower over the weekend, it is safe to say that I am now in full-on baby mode...

How lovely is this child's rocking horse by designer Marc Newson for Italian brand Magis?

Images from here

A friend sent me some inspiration for our soon to be little prince's room... how great is this room previously featured on the Pretty Blog:

For more, view here

If all goes well and things run according to plan I will be posting some photos of my nursery in the next few days... 

Have a lovely Tuesday evening all!

Having a rainbow in your home

So many of us shy away form too much colour in our homes, but sometimes a little brightness can actually give colour to our lives and everyday existence. Perhaps you can consider some of these colourful solutions to bring the rainbow into your life:

 A rainbow inspired, colour coordinated bookshelf:

From here

A colourful quilt for the bedroom:

From here

Some colourful patchwork furniture pieces:

From here

A mixed up dining room set:

From here

Life can be quite dull all by itself, why not encourage happiness to sprout form your personal space? Have a happy and colourful day dear readers!

From here

DIY Thursday_ Homemade shick

I really like this project and I think it looks great too!

Perhaps you want to try it:

Step 1: Cut a strip from the drop cloth that measures 14¼"W × 8'1¼"L; press it to iron out any wrinkles. To hem all four edges: Turn each under ⅝"; press, then stitch in place using a ½-inch seam allowance. The fabric strip should now measure 13"W × 96"L.
Step 2: Working on one of the strip's long sides and starting at a short end, use a ruler and a pencil to measure and mark one inch at a time; continue until you reach the other end. Repeat on the opposite side of the strip. Next, using your ruler and our photo as a guide, draw a line at each mark, varying the line lengths. At each 16th mark, draw a line that crosses the entire strip. Trace over the lines using a black fabric marker, which dries almost instantly.
Step 3: Just left of each line that crosses the strip, and working in numerical order, center a six-inch-high number stencil. Affix with stencil adhesive.
Step 4: Using a foam stencil brush, fill in the stencil with fabric paint. Let dry about four hours. Remove stencils; if needed, touch up the numbers with a paintbrush. To clean the runner, wash by hand and hang dry.

Project from: Country Living

DIY Thursday_ Home inspirations

Today I am posting some of my own interior DIY projects recently completed.

These were all inexpensive, yet functional pieces of furniture and I've given them a second chance in my house with a splash of paint and a few new accessories.

A retro server, fixed and painted for our lounge:

For my study/ home office:

An old side table converted into the perfect printer stand:

 

 

  

A painted bookshelf:

I hope this post inspires you! Have a lovely Thursday evening dear readers!

Unintentionally Pink

Hello dear readers. What a week so far! I have hardly had time to breath, let alone write a blog post.

Things are in overdrive it seems and I had to deal with quite a few unexpected work-related and personal issues this week... phew, I think I can safely say that I can breathe again...

I have been looking forward to this day for weeks now and it is finally here! My mom is arriving for a visit this afternoon and I can not wait to see her. With all the things happening at home (Stellenbosch) in the past few months my parents have not been able to come and visit me this year so this visit is looooooooong overdue, this probably explains my childlike excitement!

I think I am feeling something like this:

That kid in the center could be me today; image from here

So as I was preparing my guest bedroom for my mom this morning I thought I'd do a post on this room. It was an unintentional DIY and I am quite happy with the result, so here are a few pics of the room, or as some call it my pink room.

My pink room

A winter bouquet from my garden

Protea paintings

Protea throw, fabric from a community project in Bathust

Floral, african and DIY painting meets

Mmmm this wall still lacks something. to be continued

Have a good day all! xoxo

DIY Thursday_ Vintage Doily Art

It seems like the doily is coming back with a vengeance - it is everywhere - Pinterest, blogs, Home DIY tutorials... and today on Worded Reflections.

After seeing a friend actually busy making this DIY yesterday I felt jealous that I haven't taken the time or initiative to make it for myself yet, I still think this is a beauty!

Doily Lamp DIY, from here.

Doily Art from here

 

 Other doily DIY's from around the net include:

How cute are these Delightful Doilies, from here:

 

All images from here

 

Doily Lamp makeover, from here

From here

Thrift Store wall art, from here

From here

Make your own Doily Wall Art, from here:

One of my favorites: Beautiful Hearts lined up in a row, from here

From here

 

Have a good day dear readers! xoxo

 

My latest addition

One of my latest additions for the house is this little porcelain wall mountable impala-head that I bought in Cape Town a while back...

I am yet to decide where I will hang this new friend, but I am sure it will be a pleasant addition to any room.

DIY Thursday_ Pack it away

We all have problems with storage! Whether we are living in a small apartment or a big house with lots of cupboard space -  we ALWAYS need more storage space!!!

So today I dedicate DIY Thursday to clever, inexpensive ideas to deal with the clutter in our lives... Perhaps this can be seen as an implementation follow-up on my previous post Getting rid of the clutter.

 Two cast-off drawers are transformed into pretty storage boxes for linens. Legs were added to the bottom drawer to create a more finished look.

From here

Great kitchen / bathroom / workspace storage ideas! Jars can become magnetic and be used in the most most amazing ways!

All images from here

Really clever ideas for Repurposed Desk organisers featured on Home made simple.

Here you will find instructions to make the Paperwork Organizers, Pencil Holder and Mini Bulletin Boards featured on the image below.

From here

I love the Mini Bulletin Boards... perhaps something worth doing in my own work space?

I hope you have a wonderful day dear readers and happy DIY if you decide to make any of the items posted today.

Architectural Inspirations

I have just started the very exciting journey of designing a new residential project. FUN!!!

I have been working on the project for almost 2 weeks now and it seems like yesterday the creative juices finally started to flow - as this project has a clear brief and design direction it is easy to know which path to take, but some visual inspiration can go a long way!

Here are some amazing houses for inspiration... drool!!

Luxurious and Contemporary Home Design with Internal Garden green inspiration.

From here

I love the clean lines and uncluttered planning of this Contemporary House by Dom Arquitectura in Menorca, Spain. I especially like the timber deck and the pool!

Both images from here

Some interior inspiration; I LOVE this mezzanine level / bridge with the expressed exposed timber detail!

From here

The combination of a white plasterboard and strip timber ceiling brings great dimension to an open plan room.

From here

There might be more of this type of post to follow in the coming weeks and months, but as I dig deeper into the design of the house the detail and topic of discussion will definitely change!

Have a good day dear readers!

DIY Thursday _ Can you feel the love?

Put your love on display with the beautiful DIY Scandinavian-inspired wooden heart.

I saw this DIY tutorial ages ago and filed it in my to-do list but just haven't had the time to make it. What an easy and pretty item to make for your house!!

Scandinavian-inspired wooden heart, from here

For step-by-step instructions to make this heart visit the Design Sponge blog here.

From here