You may remember in a past post, about a month ago or so, that we had changed jobs and had moved house. Well I thought that I would go around my home and show you a few things that I would like to do here and there (as time permits) to make my home more homey and beautiful.

I think it is important to put your own little touch on some things to make it more 'YOU"! And that is what I aim to do.

And this is where we now reside. The front view of our house we live in now.

Of course, it is an old house - 50 years old to be exact - and like any older house there are a few things that need some attention but all in all we are quite happy with the place we now call home.

I am hoping at some stage to tidy up that front garden area in front of the porch. Hubby has trimmed it and it looks abit neater but I am not sure exactly what we want to do there just yet.

A few of the next photos, will show you that alot of what I need to get done is ORGANISATION. I am struggling to get on top of things and find a permanent spot for some things. So it ends up as clutter which I hate. Hopefully I can get things sorted VERY soon with ease. It seems that some days I am making some progress and make a small or significant dent in organising things...but then something comes up with the kids or something else and I don't get to finish the job and by the time I get back to it, it's just gone back to the same state as when I started last time, or WORSE!!

Just need a huge whoppin' blitz I say!

Aaaaanyway...

I'll start with the kitchen.

 The kitchen area has two windows. At this stage, they are bare. But I am wanting to eventually make some cute little farmhouse curtains for them to spruce them up...maybe a nice vintage floral or gingham style print fabric. Hmmm...

I LOVE that we have a mantelpiece above the fireplace in this house. It just gives the place a nice country feel! And I look forward to adorning it with pretty things that portray a little piece of me and what I like. As you can see, it currently houses little bits of ordinary - Sprout's library books, toys, tissues etc etc. Again...organisation. Pull ya finger out Anna. LOL.

The lounge/living area is quite good, just need to make new curtains for the window there as well. When I get into that project, I will keep you posted on my progress and give you updated before and after piccies.

Another major thing that I am REALLY keen to have done is the back entrance area. Our toilet and laundry is sort of semi outdoors. Its an enclosed area but it's out our back door and it is not lined. Look up - and you see the wooden beams and the roof tiles on top of them.

See what I mean?

This area would look much improved by lining it out (and help with any rodent access!), replacing the windows and maybe tiling or laying lino on the floor.

Some elements I DO like about parts of this area is the old door leading into it (photo top left). You probably can't see it very well but it is an old wooden plank door with the peeling paint that gives it that rustic weathered look. I like it but it will probably need to be replaced in order to enclose the area better. But that door will definitely not go to the tip. It will get repurposed for sure!

We do need an outdoor dining arrangement! Hmmm...

Another thing I do think looks very 'country' and 'old farmhouse-y' is the double cement laundry sinks (photo top right). Needs a slight tidy up but I think it would look stunning painted a nice bright colour to stand out and make a statement. After all, I think it is the feature of the room and deserves to draw attention!

There are a few other things that I would like to do inside the house: Another set of curtains - this time for the main bedroom, repaint the girls' room a more girly colour, organise my studio.

But I will give you a quick look at our backyard before I sign off...

I forgot to mention before, that this house had not been lived in for 12 months prior to us moving in so the lawn was one thing that needed some attention. Hubby loves a lush green lawn (and I'll add, so do I) and one of the main things he did as top priority outside, was to get that sprinkler going and get that lawn looking good again. And, I must say, he is doing a tremendous job. Well done hubby!

We have kept the lawn nicely mown and for safety measures, have installed some snake repellers in the ground to prevent any undesired visitors in our yard. Especially with the kids around!

One of the other main priorities we would like to do in this space is to create a veggie patch. We also have a large area out the front of our house which we are thinking of making into an orchard with a wide variety of fruit trees. We are keen to grow our own produce in an effort to become slightly more self-sufficient.

There are a few more ideas kicking around in order to improve our home and our lifestyle. We have some land around our house which the farm owners/employers have said we can use for whatever we want, so we are hoping to get some animals of some sort (not sure what yet) to put in those areas. Sheep, a couple of cows, chooks/ducks/geese, pony or a horse are just a few ideas we are throwing around.

So, there is a mild tour around my home. Yes, I have got my work cut out for me but I am sure once I/we complete all our aims for the place, it will feel that much more homely and relaxing.

I'm excited!

With Sprinkles of Sunshine...

Anna