Homemade Pepper

Just a few last leafy details before I step away from the hot glue gun. 🌳✨
She’s done. She’s weird. She’s wonderful. And she’s officially out of my lounge room.

A few years ago, I built the humble beginnings of this tree for my son’s pre-primary class. It later moved to the school library, where it slowly transformed into what can only be described as a very sad shrub. So in December, I quietly adopted it back.

Six months, hundreds of hours, 18 rolls of masking tape, countless op shop treasures, and a suspicious amount of hot glue later… it’s grown into a full-blown story tree, made almost entirely from recycled bits, broken books, and wild hope that it doesn’t collapse under its own whimsy.

Inside, the doors open into magical worlds: tea with Mr Tumnus in Narnia, a wild rumpus with Max, hide-and-seek with Wally, a bear hunt to find Paddington, and a pavlova voyage with Grandma Poss across Bass Strait (naturally). There are so many references now, even I keep finding new ones.

The tree is now back home in the school library, where it belongs — ready for every curious kid who wants to open a door and step into a story. 🌳📚✨

Over the last few weeks I’ve been busy working away on a Little Library for my front yard. It’s full of books, toys, craft and little bits and pieces collected over time. The box is from the verge, a great many trips around before the right piece finally appeared and she’s so lovely. I’ve painted and sanded and waterproofed it in all the ways I can, so hopefully this box will survive the wind and the weather.
For updates on our contents, will be where all the updates will be posted. If you’re in the area, make sure to stop and check out our free little library and take home a lovely book to read.

Had two hours to waste so learnt how to make paper mushrooms. Not bad for a first try.

I’ve been so excited to finally put up this tree, a verge find that instantly transports me back to childhood. Decorated with fairy lights that date from the same time and also came from the side of the road (tested for safety before use), this tree sparkles. The ornaments come from my grandmother, the op shop and the verge and all evoke childhood memories. The only thing it’s missing is silver tinsel strands strung liberally all over, but impossible to do with 4 cats and a will to live.
If you ever had this tree then you can smell this tree just looking at these photos, let me tell you, it’s just so much worse in person 😂 The room is being aired and thankfully it’s just in my craft room and not the main living area. Hopefully it will chill out by Christmas.
But even with the smell, this tree is just absolutely one of my most favourite things about Christmas this year.

All the colours of the wool blanket rainbow. I’m always hunting for these blankets and they are getting harder and harder to find, so when I stumbled on 7 all at the same place (plus one more that I put back because I wasn’t 100% sure it wasn’t acrylic) 😳🥰!
These beauties are being shared with my lovely friend to make coats and vests and jackets for all our tribe this winter.

Seriously, the orange in that pile is just the brightest most beautiful wool. I’ve never seen anything like it)

No Nana visit this year, I should never have made that damn bed!

Optimistically making the bed in the hope that my Mum can actually come and visit us from NSW for Christmas. Multiple trips have been canceled this year and she hasn’t yet met our beautiful baby girl. I really hope that the border can remain open and she can come, it would be a nice way to end a topsy turvey year here.

Where did my cute baby boy go? 😭 Now I have a three-nager, a loud, messy, paw patrol obsessed toddler. A toddler who nearly super glued his arms to his legs today, because, of course he did 🙄.

Optimism and naivety in a basket. For no 2 I really want to try reusable nappies. My goal is reusable 50% of the time, just to make it not so daunting. I’ve got some different brands to figure out what I like or don’t like, not all reusables are the same 🤷‍♀️ It can be overwhelming and confusing when you start but I’ve been doing lots of research and reading to get my washing routine right (not just for nappies but for everything, I was totally doing it wrong!). Ask me in 3 months if I’ve sold everything and become a Huggies Loyalty Member 😂

With one month to go, our nursery is finally finished! It’s taken 6 months to change it from the dark room it was but it’s been so worth it. Everything inside is shopped from my house, second hand, up cycled or homemade. The furniture was all painted by me when I could actually move, the pictures on the wall are all from op shops or damaged books that I’ve salvaged pages from, the bunting was from our wedding, even the clothes and shoes that fill the tiny wardrobe are from op shops carefully collected over many months. It’s taken a long time to get it to this place and I know it will be completely different when she gets here and it’s used all the time (my sons was a mess in a matter of weeks!) but for now it’s pretty and beautiful.

My obsession with fringe is very real, so when I saw stocking 1 metre rolls of fringe in the most amazing colours I knew that I had to make a mobile. Hand sewn and hot glued on to metal rings and carefully hung together, this is going to make a beautiful addition to our nursery.