House of Hawkes

DIY Outdoor furniture makeover

22/11/2013

OMG, the parentals are coming! My mom and dad are arriving imminently for their annual visit and there’s been a sudden rush to get a bunch of things done around the house so that there appears to be some sense of progress and order since their last visit. Their last visit was somewhat shambolic as we moved house during their stay. It was far from relaxing for them or anyone else. I was so grateful to have them around though because, as any parent of two smalls would know, it was invaluable to have the kids distracted and entertained while…

A little lady is turning seven

20/11/2013

I have only just started out on this blogging adventure and already it’s been almost a month since my last post. I am sure I should be getting to this more frequently. Oh dear. Safe to say I’ve been a busy little bee since Halloween and I’ll tell you why in a few separate posts to follow (shortly, I promise), but for now, I wanted to share something pretty. The daughter of a dear friend of mine is going to be celebrating her birthday this week. I have known this sweet little girl since she was born and I can…

Halloween printables to DIY for

29/10/2013

I can hardly believe its that time of year again. Our neighbourhood is abuzz with Halloween excitement and spooky decor – its such a fun time for the kids…… and ahem, some adults too. That said, we live in a community that is really culturally diverse and alas, Halloween and all it’s tricks is not for everyone. I’ve always thought that a little note or sign at the door is really helpful for parents and kids to know, without hazarding a potentially awkward guess, whether trick or treaters are welcome. We’re a household who are happy to indulge these little…

Printable Christmas gift tags

06/10/2013

I’ve been working on some goodies for Christmas and thought that I would share these printable Christmas gift tags with you all. I hope you like them. You will need: Cardstock of at least 180 gsm Single hole punch Ribbon, cord or embroidery cotton I tried both cotton and cord for my examples above, and whilst I think the cord has a nicer feel (less floppy), I love how the red cotton picks up the touches of red in the tags. First prize would be red cord but I was unsuccessful in finding that. You could also try printing the…

DIY Office desk

01/10/2013

I’ve been using this ‘solution’ for my home office for years now. It’s always worked really well for me as it offers loads of storage space. Folks are surprised when I tell them that my desk is actually just a few components of an Ikea kitchen. My desk is made up of 1x FAKTUM cabinet with shelves, 1 x FAKTUM cabinet with drawers, and a LAGAN solid wood (beech) worktop. However, Ikea have recently revised their entire kitchen range and as a result, the names and sizes of these components have changed. See notes below for more details. I subsequently replaced the LAGAN worktop with a deeper/larger piece…

Announcing Ava

27/09/2013

Living away from your home country and family can be really difficult at times. It didn’t seem that bad when we first arrived here possibly because (A) living in a new and exciting city was still somewhat of a novelty, and (B), I hadn’t yet had kids. So it’s not at all surprising that I’ve found it increasingly challenging since the arrival of my children, who sadly, don’t get to spend much time with their extended family, especially grandparents. With this in mind, I consider myself very lucky to have my dear cousin (and closest friend since birth) living right…

Style file: Bamileke beauty

26/09/2013

I recently indulged in a little African decor love. It goes by the name of Bamileke. I first saw a Bamileke stool in a family friend’s home in South Africa what feels like a lifetime ago and have loved them ever since. They are widely used in South African decor and are particularly popular in luxury bush lodges. My first sightings of these little gems were generally always in dark wood finish, much like their natural state, but nowadays they’re transformed into every colour imaginable, making them even more appealing, although I am still a big fan of the stark…

Are you ready for Christmas?

23/09/2013

There’s nothing quite like receiving a card in the mail. And by mail, I mean good old-fashioned ‘snail mail’, the hand sorted and delivered kind, not an e-card in your Inbox. In this age of technology and electronic lifestyle, I agree that its difficult not to take the easy route, but if there is just one time of the year that’s worth going the extra mile for a personal touch, it would have to be Christmas… that is if you’re not planning a wedding this year! I’ve been working on a little portfolio of designs for the fast-approaching festive season…