Justice is TWO!

I can't believe that we've been doing this parenting thing for 2 years! Wow. Where did the time go? 

I've always dreamed of hosting my kid's birthday party. But with Omicron numbers still high in Ontario, we kept his birthday party small and celebrated with just our close families at home. For his first birthday last year, his theme was One Superhero, purely because his IG handle, @Sueper.Justice sounds like a superhero. This year, we wanted to throw him a party with all the things he loves. Justice is obsessed with cars so nothing's more fitting than throwing him this Two Fast 2 Curious race car theme for his 2nd birthday!

This party was everything I envisioned and more! I had so much fun creating and DIYing all the elements since I couldn't source everything that match the theme and my vision perfectly. If you're interested in this theme for your little one as well, I've listed all the DIY details in this post.

Two Fast 2 Curious Race Car Themed Birthday Party

I knew right away that I wanted to make a backdrop for the dessert table and for his photoshoot. And a race car balloon garland would be perfect focal point for this party. I purchased a DIY balloon garland kit from a local party shop, Olive and Hare so that I could save some assembly cost. But I soon realized that I was taking up far too many tasks for the party. I ended up entrusting Will to take care of the balloons and assembly. And he did an amazing job! The race car foil balloon I ordered off from Dela and Bear party shop. I love the vintage-looking race car. And the balloon garland went so well with it as if it was the smoke coming from the exhaust which is what I was going for.

For the birthday banner, I drew the shape using my Adobe Illustrator and cut the shapes onto black cardstock using my Cricut cutting machine. Then I bought some silver metallic alphabet stickers from Walmart and just stuck them onto the banner. They look exactly how I wanted it. If you're interested in the banner template, you can download the cutting file here.

We got Justice a motorized Batmobile as a present. And I thought it would make a perfect prop for his birthday photoshoot. I designed some decals to put on the car so I could match it with the theme. I bought some white vinyl from the dollar store and cut the design using my Cricut. I covered the existing designs of the car with black coloured cardstock and adhered the decals on top. I must say that the car looks pretty sleek and nobody knew it was originally a Batmobile!

I also bought some wooden cars from the dollar store and painted them with acrylic craft paints that I have lying around at home. They became cute decor pieces for my dessert table.

The party plates were actually normal paper plates that I customized. I couldn't find paper plates that match the theme and colour scheme, so I went with black paper plates and designed the decals to place on top. I love them so much! You can download my cutting file here.

As for the birthday cake, I decorated using my homemade marshmallow fondant! I added some food colouring gel to the marshmallow fondant to make it into the colour red. Then I moulded it into a race car just like moulding a play-doh. The race car took a few days to dry completely so I had to allocate enough time in advance for it. I love how the cake matched the balloon garland! And Justice kept wanting to steal the fondant car from the cake as soon as he saw it!

It became a tradition where I'd make Justice a custom shirt to wear on his birthday. For his One Superhero first birthday last year, I made a Superman inspired t-shirt with his initial and a red cape to go with it. This year, to match the Two Fast race car theme, I drew the graphic with Procreate app and cut it onto iron-on transfer vinyl with my Cricut. 

I then used the same graphic to make the "Two Fast 2 Curious" backdrop and cut it out onto 2 large pieces of black bristle board. I wanted it huge on my wall so using bristle board could not only make that happen, it also help save on material cost. If you're interested in the cutting file for this graphic, you can get it here.

The custom race track number 2 balloon was the easiest to make. I bought the black foil balloon from the party shop and had it inflated with helium prior to the birthday party. Then, with the remainder white decals that I had on hand, I cut out into strips of roughly, 1" x 2.5" size and just stuck them onto the balloon. I love how it turned out. It was so cute!

And that was all. Justice had a blast that day at the party with all his families. Although it took some time to DIY everything for his birthday, seeing Justice's excitement made everything worthwhile.

Do you like to DIY for your kid's birthday?

Wherever you look nowadays, you’ll find the words self-love, self-acceptance, self-help, and self-care scrawled. Over the past several years, the self-care market has undoubtedly skyrocketed. Its value sits at approximately 29 billion pounds, having motivated hundreds of UK citizens to start paying equal attention outwardly as inwardly.

Many self-care methods are available to individuals. And we can get tips from self-care books, subscribing to various meditation apps and choosing healthy meal alternatives.

Self-care is important and is proven to be beneficial to our well-being both physically and mentally. But there's no one size fits all method. Let's take a look at some simple ways to look after yourself and why they can be good for you in the long run. 

Eat Healthily

Research conducted by health professionals has shown that there's a strong connection between our mood and the food we consume. It also suggests the kinds of food we eat can in fact improve our physical and mental well-being. Making negative food choices regularly can have a massive impact on our bodies, whereas eating healthily and consciously can enhance our lives.

So, eating healthily is one of the best (and easiest!) ways to practice self-care. Begin your healthy eating journey by making minor substitutions like eating a piece of fruit when you crave something sweet instead of a chocolate bar. This selection of meal replacement shakes from Shake That Weight can be a nice substitute for your meal when you’re not feeling as hungry. Ensure you are using these shakes as part of a healthy diet, and accompanied with a workout routine where possible.

Get A Good Night’s Sleep

Much like our food, a good night's sleep can be beneficial to our mental and physical well-being. Failing to achieve the nightly recommended sleep allowance can reap havoc on how we feel both emotionally and physically and can lead to significant health issues should the issues persist. But how can you incorporate getting a good night’s sleep into your self-care routine?

Begin by evaluating your night-time routine and strive to make improvements. For instance, if you have a drink before bed, ensure that it is free of caffeine or sugar, as consuming these types of beverages before going to sleep can make it harder for you to rest. Or, if you tend to lie in bed on your phone – aim to put away your phone at least an hour before bedtime, as this will put you in a sleep-inducing mindset.

Go Outside

Another way that you can practise self-care is by spending time outside. Research has shown that getting fresh air boasts many health benefits, such as lowering blood pressure, reducing stress, lowering fatigue levels, etc. As a result, spending time outside can help reduce mental health problems such as depression and anxiety or work-related health issues like burnout.


You could also get outside more by engaging in physical outdoor activities such as hiking, running, walking, or cycling. Exercising is not only great for your physical health, but it also provides you with all the health benefits the outdoors provides.

Baking can be a therapy for some people to destress. But it's not always easy to decide what to bake up next when inspirations are running dry. Great thing about baking is that you could experiment combinations of flavours that will help break out of the baker's rut.

Finding something unique to bake often isn't too tricky. You could experiment with the different flavourings at home, and don't be afraid to use some quirky pairings. If you lead a busy life, like most bakers, and don't have time to come up with new inspiration day after day, here are some simple baking ideas for you when you don't know what to bake.

Rainbow Cupcakes

Rainbow cupcakes have become popular over the past few years. Who doesn't love the winning combination of delicious cake with bright, playful colours? To make your rainbow cupcakes a success, you'll need to use your whitest cake recipe to allow the colours to show up well.

You'll also need quality gel food colouring to get the most vibrant colours. You could get gel in all the colours of the rainbow or save some money by getting primary colours and mixing them to create orange, green and purple. The frosting you use for your rainbow cupcakes can be anything your desire. But often a simple buttercream is perfect to complement the bright colours of the cake. Try vanilla or honey mascarpone buttercream.

Biscotti

Bakers often shy away from bakes like biscotti because they think they're complicated to bake, but this is actually not true. There are some excellent, simple biscotti recipes out there that will give you the perfect accompaniment to your morning cup of coffee.

You can bake biscotti using some of the most common ingredients in the kitchen: flour, eggs, sugar and oil. You can also spice up your biscotti recipe with additional flavours like cinnamon, espresso, chocolate or fruit. Try this classic biscotti recipe in 4 ways.

Banana Bread

Banana bread is another crowd-pleasing bake that can be easily customized. This bake is simple to make, and you might already have all the ingredients you need at home. You could spice up your banana bread by adding some chocolate chips, nuts or peanut butter. If you really want to step outside the box, consider adding a little cayenne pepper for a spicy kick. Try this banana bread recipe.

Paleo Baked Goodies

A paleo diet is often considered a healthy option and can help weight loss or manage some chronic conditions. The paleo diet involves eating foods that early humans would have eaten before the advent of farming. This means plenty of fruit, veggies, nuts, seeds, meat and fish. Dairy products, processed foods, grains and legumes are usually avoided.

You might think that incorporating a paleo diet could make baking a challenge, but there is actually a massive range of delicious and unique baked goods for those following a paleo diet. You can find some of the tastiest options from Nora over at A Clean Bake or check out these paleo baked goods recipes.

Breakfast Muffins

Breakfast muffins can be an excellent baking choice for you and your family to enjoy in the morning. All you need is a muffin tray and some of your favourite breakfast foods. Eggs are essential, as they will bind together the rest of the ingredients, but aside from that, the opportunities are endless.

You could start with some chopped-up bacon, cheese and eggs. Whisk the eggs up, add the cheese and bacon, spoon the mix into the muffin trays and pop them into the oven until crispy and cooked through. You could try the same with some onions and tomatoes for a healthier omelet-style muffin. Try this breakfast egg muffin receipe - 3 ways.

Extra Puffy Chocolate Chip Cookies

Who doesn't love the classic chocolate chip cookie? If you want to make your cookies a bit more exciting, you could try baking an extra puffy batch to delight your kids and loved ones. All you need is your go-to cookie recipe and a package of instant pudding mix. Add the pudding mix to the cookie batter and bake as usual. The result will be chunky, puffy bites of goodness. You can experiment with different flavours of pudding to make tasty, unique cookie combinations.

Microwave Cake In A Mug

A microwave mug cake can be a great solution for anyone who are really strapped for time. You don't need to use self-raising flour to ensure the cake rises properly, all-purpose flour would suffice. Mix the batter in the mug to minimize cleaning and just pop it into your microwave. In less than 2 minutes, you'll have a cup of decadent cake! Serve with some ice cream or whip up a quick batch of frosting to go with the cake. This type of cake is a quick and easy option for when you just want something sweet without spending a lot of time in the kitchen. Try this microwave cake in a mug recipe.

As we head into 2022 and (hopefully) out the other side of the Covid-19 pandemic, we’re beginning to see how the last few years of change have affected interior design trends – with the choices that people make in their homes reflecting their need for space, stimulation, and a reconnection with the outside world.

While it’s not entirely practical to actually bring the outdoors indoors, there are many ways in which you can attempt to create the same feelings invoked by a day walking in the forest or taking a stroll at the beach or coast - all by using principles of interior design.

Read on to find out more about 2022’s interior design trends, and establish how you can go about bringing these fresh ideas into your home.

Modern Coastal Décor

Front and center of the recent surge in bringing the essence of the outdoors into the home is Modern Coastal Decor, where the objective is to create the same relaxing, cerebral feelings experienced by the seaside.

While coastal décor can be associated with awkward trinkets and rustic furnishings, the principles of modern coastal décor do away with this for a light, crisp, fresh feng shui that aims to relax and revitalize, rather than being outwardly nautical in design and presentation.

This means dropping bold shades of colors such as blue and yellow for lighter tones that embrace the minimalistic nature of modern design while also paying homage to the sand and sky.

The focus on natural color palettes means that when it comes to furnishing your home in Modern Coastal Décor style, using natural material to furnish the room instantly compliments the style. Woven baskets and driftwood-style lampshades create a beautiful contrast against the soft coloring used on the walls and ceilings, further painting the picture of a breezy coastal retreat.

Biophilic Design

With so much time spent indoors during the pandemic, it’s no surprise that design trends are showing an eagerness to bring more nature inside the home, using design strategies that encourage connection to the outside world.

By using large, sweeping windows, light levels can be kept high – and with foliage located near the glass outside, natural shadows can be cast into your living spaces to create dynamic spaces that always reflect the present moment.

As well as this, high ceilings create the headspace needed for rooms to feel airy, and assorted plants can add a natural dimension without overcrowding your spaces. The bold greens and bright colored flowers can establish a contrast with softer tones on the walls and ceilings to emphasize the presence of the plants.

Sustainability by Nature

Whether it’s by law or out of one’s own conscience, sustainability is a vital part of interior design in 2022. Much emphasis has been put on re-establishing our connection with the outside world, and integrating sustainable practices into our interior design philosophy naturally achieves this – with wood being a pertinent example.

Reclaimed wood can easily be reshaped into whatever you want it to be, from tables and chairs to chopping boards, placemats, and trinkets – while bamboo is a hugely versatile material that grows quickly and is easily replaced.

Also, consider materials such as scrap/recycled metal, as recycled steel uses as much as 75% less energy than creating new steel from scratch.

It’s also worth considering the material used in items such as rugs, blankets, paintings, and ornaments – with rugs and blankets, avoid using polyester and other fake wools and replace them with sheep’s wool, which is both sustainable, durable, and incredibly warm.

Pursuing sustainable design trends is vital for reducing our impact on climate change, meaning it’s important to stay curious and innovative so that these practices can become trends that soon become the norm.

Mindfulness Spaces

Having spent so much time in our personal spaces, many people have realized the impact that these spaces can have on our general wellbeing. It’s no good for a space to simply cater to the physical needs of a person anymore – psychological needs are just as, if not more important, which requires a focus on creating a room that brings us excitement and satisfaction as well as comfort and practicality.

Creating a mindful space is an entirely personal matter, as each person has different things that make them feel present and relaxed. Incorporating aspects of your interests, hobbies, and passions helps to remind you of your achievements and what is important, while items of sentimental value such as family photos and heirlooms help to emphasize the feeling of being at home.

For those that engage in mindfulness meditation practices, creating a space that allows for peace, quiet, and presence is essential to feel grounded. House plants are shown to have a psychologically beneficial effect while allowing in lots of natural light is shown to boost mental health.
Tradition and longevity

A reflection of the impact of both Covid-19 and the Climate Crisis, the inclusion of traditional, long-lasting styles is a popular choice in 2022. After we were stopped from engaging in many of the activities that are important to us during the pandemic, people are searching to reconnect with family and friends, and our homes are a vital place in that connection happening.

Tradition can often mean the embracing of particular styles and colours that are familiar to us, using décor, furnishings, and art styles from our parent’s or grandparents’ playbook. Using items passed down from friends and family creates a strong feeling of belonging and sentiment, which helps to form a stronger connection with those that are close to you.

Especially in the modern-day, trends can be fleeting and fast-moving – which has contributed to a diet of consumerism that encourages the new over proven lasting quality styles. By continuing to develop a personal design taste and embracing quality over quantity, we can reduce our impact on the environment as we buy things without the intention to shortly replace them, as well as by browsing second-hand stores such as charity shops and reclaim centers.

Many of us are obsessed with our smartphone devices. If we are not using our smartphones, we are most likely using another electronic device to consume content, such as through a tablet, laptop, or computer. I know I'm guilty of this.

Did you know that more than half of the children in America own a smartphone by the age of 11? With this percentage predicted to rise in the future, many families can find it challenging to have everyone put their devices down and spend some quality time together.

Besides playing boardgames as a family, here are a few fun alternative activities that the whole family can participate in and enjoy.

Cook As A Family

Cooking dinner together is a simple way to bond together, without the distractions of a mobile device. Choose something that everyone enjoys and decide how to prepare and cook the meal together. When cooking together, it helps children learn how to cook dinners and shows what goes into the food they consume.

Consider taking this family cooking session outdoors for a change of scenery when the weather is warm. BBQs might be the most obvious choice but something different like making pizzas would be sure to wow everyone.

An outdoor pizza oven and a few simple ingredients are all that's needed to make this happen. Everyone will have a great time building their own pizzas and bake them on the spot with this gas powered pizza oven from Ooni, like the Ooni Koda 16. Making pizzas together not only is fun to do as a group, it also allows family to understand each other's personalities, tastes and likes.

Go On A Scavenger Hunt Adventure

Explore the great outdoors by going on a family hike while going on a scavenger hunt. Take the time to find and choose a local hiking trail together and plan simple things to look for while hiking. There're plenty of free scavenger hunt printable resources out there to download. It will make an ordinary activity more exciting. Children will learn to appreciate nature and surroundings as they discover them and check them off on the scavenger hunt list.

Going on a hike and enjoy the outdoors also has a lot of health benefits. An additional bonus is that cost is free as most trails are free!

Do a Paint Night

Setting up for a paint night with the family is easy. Simply gather together some art supplies, such as crayons, pens, pencils, paint, and blank canvases that can all be bought from your local dollar store and get creative. Pick a theme that everyone has fond memories of like a recent vacation or pick a favourite drawing to replicate. To take this up a notch, families can even draw each other! How fun is that?

Whatever the result might be, a paint night can guarantee to spark a lot of joy and laughter.

Finding fun activities that the whole family can enjoy is a beautiful way to spend quality time with one another. There are countless benefits of family time. Besides creating beautiful memories, these activities can help bring families closer together. 

I recently visited this 5-star luxury spa, Go Place on my birthday. A much-needed relaxation, child-free, self-care time for just me and Will. After sharing some of the highlights on my IG stories, I got a lot of questions asking about this experience. So, I thought I’d share my experience in detail here for those who are interested and answer all the common questions.

What’s there to do?

Relaxing!

If you’re familiar with Scandinavian Spa, you’d be no stranger to just lounging, relaxing and basically doing nothing. Although you don’t get the scenic view in comparison, Go Place offers a more luxurious indoor experience with more things to do. You can take a dip at their gender-specific hot tubs and jacuzzi, relax in the shared saunas and themed therapy rooms and even work out in the fitness room. Play a friendly game of billiards and board games, eat, enjoy free Wi-Fi and just doze off in various recliners and loungers. They have a huge selection of books for your reading pleasure that’s enough to kill a few hours.

We pretty much used all their facilities except for the fitness room. Working out just wasn’t aligned with my goal to relax! I did book an hour of deep tissue massage with an RMT in advance. The massage was amazing. Not only did it relieve all my tensed muscles from head to toe, the ambience and calming music just made the whole experience extra relaxing.

Will also decided on an impromptu 30-min massage with a masseuse. While the experience was decent, he did find his neck in an awkward position since the massage was done in one of their recliners in an open area, as opposed to being done on a massage table in a private room like my massage.

Food-wise, it was convenient that they have a dining area where we could order lunch and a snack or two. Orders were taken from a tablet device and brought to our table. Their menu includes mostly Asian dishes such as fried rice, noodles, sashimis, sushi rolls, pork bone soup, katsu udon, lamp racks, oysters, just to name a few. They have a great selection of drinks, including my favourite, bubble tea!

Brown Sugar Pearl Milk Tea and Sashimi Platter

Stir-fried instant noodles and chicken wings with fries and complimentary birthday cupcake

Pork Cutlet with Udon in Soup

How much does it cost? What does the admission include?

It really depends on what you do there. Admission costs $63.95 per person that includes all access to the saunas, hot tubs, showers, fitness facility and therapy rooms. Lockers, towels and a two-piece Louis Vuitton-inspired spa wear are provided for free during your stay. Water is also available throughout the premises. 

Some extra charges could add to your total including facials, body treatments and massages if you wish to get one. Do note that RMT might be covered by your benefits coverage. For me, that’s a huge win, because I was able to claim my massage to my insurance. Make sure to find out from your insurance provider what’s covered and what needs to be submitted on your claims prior to booking.

Slippers are not included in your admission and are optional to purchase at $3. If you wish to complete the look, robes are also available to rent at $5 or $30 for purchase. Running shoes and socks are available to use if you wish to work out.

The cost for food is surprisingly fair and costs roughly the same as what you’d pay for the same thing at a restaurant. All the costs you incurred throughout your stay are added to your account by tapping your bracelet and billed at the end when you checkout.

Tax and a 12% gratuity are also added on top of your bill which their staff would tell you upfront and when you checkout. There's also a late charge of $15 if you wish to stay overnight or leave past 2 am.

Far Infrared Area

Is it safe to visit during Covid?

We felt safe during our stay. We came early on a Thursday when there weren’t many guests. People were very spread out as the premise is huge so lots of room to keep a distance from each other. Proof of vaccinations are required before entry and all staff are wearing masks.

Guests are also encouraged to wear masks in open lounge areas and are only allowed to remove them in hot tubs and steam rooms. So, it is important that you take your own safety precautions. We took ours seriously and kept our distance from others throughout. Masks and sanitizers are also available at counters and in various areas.

Is it Clean?

As soon as we exited the escalator onto the 2nd floor, we were asked to remove our shoes. They are then stored inside the shoe lockers. I could not speak to the men’s room but the ladies’ change room was clean and tidy for the majority of the time. Throughout our stay, we could see staff vacuuming, cleaning and tidying up everywhere. I did have to ask them to refill the tissues and toilet papers after they ran out in the ladies’ bathrooms at one point as more people started to show up late afternoon.

Was it busy? When’s a good time to visit?

During the week is always the best time to go. We actually arrived before 10 in the morning and there were already a few guests. Will got the whole hot tub to himself and I also got to enjoy a private steam room. Since Go Place opens 24 hours, more guests show up after lunch towards later in the afternoon. I was also told by one of their staff that the place gets busier during the evenings.

Other things to know

As a luxury spa, they use top-of-the-line products like L’Occitane branded wash and lotions and Dyson hair dryers. I also love the fact that they have compartments beside each therapy room to store away your cell phones. These are some of the nice little details that add to the overall experience.

Many guests, like myself, come here and get pampered on birthdays. Their staff noticed my birthday when we checked in upon arrival and gave me a complimentary massage chair experience. And like in the card game, Monopoly Deal, if you tell the dining room staff that “It’s my birthday!”, you’d get a cupcake as well. I thought that was very sweet (see what I did there?).

Final thoughts. Would I visit again?

After experiencing Korean saunas and bathhouses, Go Place is the next level up if not more. Luxurious indoor wellness experience that is great for couples or a group of friends (I mean, board games are available for rent after all!)

All in all, we enjoyed our stay and experience at Go Place. I’d recommend anyone who enjoys getting pampered and relaxation therapies to give it a try. We'd definitely be back. Hope this post is helpful!

Go Place 

3275 Highway 7 East, Unit 2,
Markham, Ontario L3R 3P9

905-261-7777

Open 24hrs - 7 Days a week

Interior design has the power to truly transform a property, but that doesn’t mean that any design upgrades will have your house feeling like yours. If your house feels out of balance, less than personalized, or decorated to someone else’s taste, your beloved property isn’t going to feel like that safe, homely space that you deserve it to be.

This guide will help you to think differently about your space and how you can make it more tailored for you.

6 Signs Your House Needs a More Homely Touch

1. There are not enough personal items in your home
2. You don’t feel comfortable with the way it’s decorated
3. It feels more like a show home than a personal home
4. Others have commented that it doesn’t feel like your space
5. Your property lacks coziness or warmth
6. You feel like you’d enjoy more company in the property, as it lacks signs of activity
   
   

How to Make Your House a Home: A Guide

Put Time and Energy into Your Bedroom

Your home should be a safe space to sleep at night where you can relax and forget about the stresses of the day. That’s why your bedroom is going to be one of the most important rooms in your home. If you’ve neglected the bedroom, it can have you feeling less than relaxed when you retire for the night. Especially if you haven’t put much thought into decorating, cold and bare bedrooms with no personal amenities can make a bedroom feel uninviting.

The most important aspect of a bedroom to think about is the bed. Your bed should be completely tailored for you and how you like to sleep so that you can call it your own. If you have a bed that isn’t your preference — such as a mattress which isn’t your desired firmness, or maybe even a bed frame that was gifted or furnished with the property that you don’t particularly like — then you aren’t going to feel fully connected to your bedroom space when you’re trying to relax.

Therefore think about upgrading your bed, choosing the perfect mattress for you, and furnishing your bed (and room) with soft, cozy furnishings and items which help you to personally relax.

Choose a colour scheme for the room which best helps you relax, too. The bedroom is always a room worth decorating. If blue is a colour that soothes you the most, then make sure this appears somewhere in the room. Or, if dark and bold colours are your preference to help you feel at home, then make sure they’re there.

Get a Pet

Pets do make a house a home. They provide a warm greeting for you when you arrive home, they provide lots of activity for the property if you get an active animal like a dog or a cat, and they provide love and companionship. Getting a pet can be perfect if you live alone and would like to fill your property with extra company and liveliness, or they can be the perfect completion for family life if you have young children (or are planning on any).

The right pet for your home will depend on your budget, the type of pet you’re looking for, how much time and energy you can spare, and what your particular property can provide. The following are some pet tips to help you decide.

Dogs are a great option for lively companionship, home protection, and an active lifestyle.

Cats are a great option for loving companionship, but if you don’t have a lot of time to spare for daily walks.

Small pets are perfect for those who don’t want bigger or active pets, and animals like hamsters or rabbits can be great for indoors.

Exotic pets are a great choice if you want something different and would like to keep a tank or cage indoors, such as lizards or snakes.

Whatever pet you choose, always remember to have a good vet selected, like an Easy Vet clinic, for health checkups and initial vaccinations if you are getting a young pet.

Put Personal Items on Show

This doesn’t mean that you have to put every photograph you own on every shelf or clutter rooms with personal items. Even minimalists can enjoy a few very important personal items in their space. Think about some treasured items that you would really love to show off or would make you happy to see every day. This could be your favourite books on a shelf, a photograph you particularly love, a unique piece of wall art, or maybe a wall of trophies you’ve won over the years.

Anything personal you can introduce to your space will have it feeling like yours, and yours alone, because only you can have those memories or make those particular design decisions with your belongings.

Don’t Be Afraid of Clutter

It’s okay to be tidy, and in fact, it’s encouraged, but also allow yourself to let items stay on display. It’s these small touches that can really have your property feeling like a home. This could be your favourite pair of shoes always left on a mat by the door instead of packed away. It could be a coat rack on display instead of coats stored in cupboards or behind doors. It could be the bookmarked novel you were reading left askew on the coffee table or your favourite cozy blanket left in your favourite spot on the sofa instead of neatly folded away.

All of this is evidence of your daily life in your home, and if you try to remain too tidy or remove any evidence of you going about your daily routine, it’s going to feel too much like a show home without much personality.

Final Thoughts

Only you can know what would make you feel more at home on your own property. Is it a certain colour of the wall, a particular photograph on the shelf, or merely letting yourself be a bit messier and leaving out your favourite daily items? Making your house a home is all about extra personality, coziness, and whatever you can do to feel more relaxed.

I can't believe 2022 is already here! Looking back, it feels like I didn't accomplish much the past year with the pandemic and Omicron variant still going strong. I know it might seem like we were never able to see light at the end of the tunnel. But on a positive note, there was still a lot to be thankful for. I was able to see my friends and family a lot more in 2021 compared to the previous year. I was able to take Justice out more often for some basic childhood activities after the lockdown was over. I got to celebrate my grandmother's 94th birthday when dine-in was allowed. Despite being a small, intimate celebration, she was happy she could see the people she cared for. And seeing her happy is one of my greatest joys.

I've returned to work in Fall from my maternity leave. There was a lot of uncertainty returning to work but thankfully, the transition back to work was relatively smooth and manageable. I'm lucky that Will was able to help out and look after Justice in the morning while I work. I also got accepted to a new job just before the holidays. It was something I wanted to pursue before I had Justice and now I have a second chance. I'm most excited about the new year because now I have a new job to look forward to.

Sales from my Etsy shop hit an all-time high. 2021 was the best year yet since launch. And I'm super thankful for all your support!

I hope you too were able to find things to be thankful for no matter how small they are. Let's hope that 2022 will be a better year!

Here's a recap of my posts from 2021.

Family matching pyjamas from Iffei

A Year in Review:

HOME

1. 7 Ways to Decorate You Home for Winter
2. Cute Ways to Improve Your Small Kitchen
3. 6 Ways to Introduce Farmhouse Design to Your Home
4. Useful Home Improvements that Make Your Life Easier

LIFESTYLE

1. Yoga Keep Us Healthy During Pandemic
2. 5 Tips to Look After Your Teeth
3. Inspo for Hosting an Intimate Wedding
4. 6 Deep Cleaning Tips for Your Home
5. How to Cut Down on Your Electricity Bills This Spring
6. Quirky Ways to Repurpose Your Old Possessions
7. Easy Ways to Keep on Top of Your Bathroom Cleaning
8. 6 Ways to Get Your Family Fit and Healthy This Fall
9. Heartfelt Personalized Christmas Gift Idea From Hooray Heroes

MOTHERHOOD

1. Justice's Superhero First Birthday Party
2. 7 Ways Friends and Family Can Lend New Parents a Hand
3. Personalized Gift Ideas for Parents and Children
4. How to Baby Proof Your Home
5. Nursery Room Update
6. Easiest Way to Holiday Shop For Your Children

TRAVEL

1. Weekend Getaway to Florence
2. Top Tips to Avoid Dehydration When You Go on Holiday
3. 5 Tasks to Do Before Road Trip
4. 7 Simple Hacks to Make Traveling Easier

DIY/TUTORIAL

1. DIY Christmas Holiday Shaker Cards
2. Love is in the Air Papercut Valentine's Day Card
3. DIY Stamped Christmas Wrapping Paper
4. DIY Yarn-Wrapped Letter Ornaments
5. 5 DIY Ideas for Valentine's Day
6. Easter Bunny Hot Chocolate Bombs
7. DIY Superhero First Birthday Party
8. Best Mom Ever Papercut Mother's Day Card

FASHION

1. A Guide to Looking Fabulous for Summer
2. Pink Tropical Family Matching Swimwear

FOOD

1. Recipe: Fiery Bulgogi Kimchi Burger

Every year, I try to add some new ornaments to our Christmas tree. And this year is no different. I added a few including these yarn-wrapped letter ornaments that I made from my Amazon cardboard boxes and yarn that I have lying around my house. I made the letters in our initials and they turned out super cute! 

Justice loves these ornaments since he's at the stage where he can identify alphabets. He'd point at his initial and say, "J" out loud. He had fun helping me put up ornaments to our tree. But at the same time, it makes me realize how fast he's growing up. He was only able to crawl under the tree and touch the ornaments at the bottom last holiday. 

I think this DIY ornament would be a great craft idea to do with kids too. It's so simple and requires almost zero cost (well, except the money that actually went into your Amazon purchases). But isn't it fabulous to put those Amazon boxes to good use? And nobody could tell that these were made from cardboard boxes!

How to Make Yarn-Wrapped Letter Ornaments

Supplies you'll need:

• White Yarn 
• Tinsel Yarn (I got mine from Oomomo's craft section!)
• Cardboard (Put those Amazon boxes to use!)
• Mini pom poms (The dollar store is your best friend)
• Scissors
• Glue gun
• Tape (optional)

Instructions:

Trace out letters onto your cardboard and cut them out with scissors. I cut 3 pieces for each letter to add some dimension to the letters.

Then, glue the end of the yarn to the letter and start wrapping the letter until the entire letter is covered. Seal the yarn end with hot glue.

Cut out a piece from the tinsel yarn and tie a knot at the bottom. Hot glue the knot onto the top of the letter. And that's it!

This tutorial is so straightforward. But in case, you want to watch how I did it. Head over to my Instagram for the video of this tutorial.

I hope you like this DIY tutorial! If you give this a try, be sure to share your pictures with me on Instagram and tag @tingandthings_ or use hashtag #diywithting. I'd love to see your take on it!


Happy crafting and have a wonderful holiday!

Check out my other Christmas DIY ideas!

DIY Stamped Holiday Wrapping Paper

DIY Holiday Shaker Cards

DIY Paper Cutout Holiday Cards

Make Your Own Holiday Cutout Cards

Rudolph the Reindeer Christmas Cake Pops

DIY Gold Hand Lettering Christmas Ornament

Sweetest Present to Give: Christmas Cupcakes Bouquet 

Tis' the Season to Make Gingerbread Cookies

Holly Jolly Chocolate Cake Pops

I'm not sure about you but comes the holiday season, I'm always in search of the most perfect and meaningful gifts for my loved ones. When Justice turned one, I made him a special personalized book from Hooray Heroes and loved it. So it's a no-brainer that they'd have something unique for this holiday. And, they do not disappoint. They've got a great selection of personalized Christmas books for husband, wife, partner and children!

 
What makes Hooray Heroes storybooks so special is that you can personalize the characters to look like yourself and your kids, combine with beautifully written stories and vibrant illustrations. I ended up choosing this Mommy-and-kiddo book that imagines what my little boy might wish for his mommy. 

Personalize Gifts with Hooray Heroes

With a few simple clicks, I can preview how my book looks like with our names and personalized characters in the stories. The toughest part I must say though is choosing the 10 stories/wishes. Each one is heartfelt and sweet to read. I spent a lot of time reading the stories and choosing which ones to include in our book. 

Here are the stories that I get to choose from:

• Training with Reindeer
• Writing to Santa
• Winter Walk
• Toy Factory
• Delivering Santa's Letters
• Bringing the Tree Home
• Xmas Sweater Selfies
• Decorating the Tree
• Gift City
• Making Up New Traditions
• Snowman Beach Party
• Reading Stories by the Fire
• Making Snowflakes
• Baking Cookies
• Making Snow Angels
  
  

Besides storybooks, Hooray Heroes also offer other personalized gifts for other occasions. I'm eyeing their "Fun Family of Three" personalized puzzle for Justice! 

Take a look at how their personalized storybook magic comes to life.

This is a sponsored post by Hooray Heroes. All reviews and opinions expressed in this post are my own.