The Block Reveals Hallway, Laundry and Powder Room

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October 10, 2016

the block reveals hallway, laundry and powder room

It was interesting viewing on The Block last night, with a number of teams choosing not to finish their rooms for judging.

The teams had to present their hallway, laundry and powder room.

I felt a bit uninspired last night as I watched the room reveals. I’m not sure if it’s because of de ja vu and feeling like I’ve seen a lot of the styles before or whether the lack of motivation from the teams to finish rubbed off on the show as I viewed it.

It was as shame that some teams chose not to finish. There’s nothing worse than seeing unpainted walls during a reveal. The biggest lesson from the night was to never quit, even when things may look or feel wrong.

Some of the rooms had a lot of interior design flaws. It’s the risk you take when being on a show like The Block… some of your design ideas may not pull off, and once they’re installed, it can be too late to change.

But some styling flaws can be fixed by changing the decorative pieces in the rooms.

Let’s look at what was shown last night.

Will and Karlie

I really enjoy seeing what Will and Karlie produce each week. I wasn’t a fan of their ensuite or main bathroom, but I did like what I saw in the laundry and powder room. I love the vanity they used in the powder room. And I think the contrast between the black cabinetry in the laundry and plumbing fixtures in the powder room, contrast beautifully against the white splashbacks and walls.

Dan and Carleen

Dan and Carleen chose not to finish their rooms this week. They ran out of time and the result is not even worth writing about. But I reckon they will come good in the next week or so and their spaces will look awesome.

Julia and Sasha

Such a shame these two gave up in the end as they thought the walls in their hallway were out. But Darren Palmer measured them and found them to be spot on – nearly perfect. Julia and Sasha felt a little bit silly after being told that. As a result of the ‘wall disaster’, they didn’t paint or style the hallway. The laundry and powder room were gorgeous – but also weren’t painted. The judges said they missed out on winning this week, and I agree.

Andy and Ben

The boys didn’t have much money to play around with this week and you could tell from their styling. Their laundry wasn’t a bad effort, but their powder room felt tall and narrow. I’d feel claustrophobic using their powder room I think.

Kim and Chris

Kim and Chris were the only other team that completely finished their zones, but their styling was way out. The laundry, as described by Shaynna, had a prison cell feel. I thought it did too, watching it from my living room. There is no contrast between the walls and the cabinetry. The powder room did not look inviting either and the judges said it looked like a public toilet. I had to agree again.

Will and Karlie took out the prize in the end, but Kim and Chris weren’t happy with the inconsistency in judging.

It’s hard to accept negative feedback when you think you may have a chance of winning because you finished all your zones. But Kim and Chris just missed out because of their styling. At least it’s a skill that they can learn and evolve with over time.

Next week is the kitchen reveals, so I’m definitely looking forward to seeing what the teams produce.

What did you think of the reveals last night? Which room do you like the best?

Bathroom Trends for 2017

By

Rebecca Senyard

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October 6, 2016

1

As another year looms to an end, so do a run of trends in interiors. There are many predictions on what will be big trends in bathrooms next year so I’ve compiled a few of the common predictions that we will most likely see in bathroom designs in the coming year. You may even see them on The Block for 2017 but just remember you read them here first. 😉

Bathroom Trends for 2017

Feature Baths are the Feature

The feature bath has been a dominating trend in main bathrooms. But now, it’s going to be the main feature with different shapes, sizes and colours to make it stand out even more. Depending on the space in the bathroom, a block coloured feature bath is the way to go. Think black, grey or a bold colour in navy or red.

Photo by International Custom Designs – Look for contemporary bathroom pictures

Photo by Canny Design – More contemporary bathroom ideas

Minimalist Space

Bathrooms are going to be less cluttered with more concealed storage solutions. Benches will be less styled and more clear to allow for a ‘mindful space’.

Wood and Natural Materials Reign

Timber and natural materials like stone will still be popular choices in the bathroom. Both were introduced as key trends for 2016 and they will continue to be popular for their modern aesthetic and luxurious appearance. To keep in with budgets, indistinguishable imitative products will be used.

Photo by Etelamaki Architecture – Discover contemporary bathroom design ideas

Black and Brushed Metal Tapware

Black and brushed metal tapware will be the popular choices for water outlets in the bathroom. Brushed metal is a better choice than black as it will age beautifully over time, whereas black will lose its sheen from water marks. Trust a plumber on this one as stylists don’t go back a few years later do maintenance on them. 😉

Photo by GIA Bathroom & Kitchen Renovations – Discover contemporary bathroom design ideas

Concealed Floor Wastes and Drains

Keeping in with the minimalist look, floor waists and drains will be concealed through tiling. Chrome grated drains are out.

Rimless Toilet Suites and Induct Cisterns

The rimless toilet suite from Caroma was introduced earlier this year and it will be a considered choice as it aligns with the minimal look in bathrooms as will induct cisterns.

Lighting Zones

Different lighting will be used to separate zones within the bathroom.

Neutral Colours

Black, white and grey will still be popular choices as they are modern and timeless. But there will be different tones introduced like charcoal, greige and granite.

Photo by Rettke Builders – Browse contemporary bathroom photos

Are you planning a bathroom renovation next year? Which trends stand out most to you?

Home Improvement Thursday Rules For Linking Up

If you’re a DIY, home organization, building, renovation, home makeover, home decorating, home maintenance or trade related blogger we’d LOVE you to link up with us below. Here are the HIT rules for how to link up and what you need to do once you have linked up.
Linkable posts, must centre around the topics of DIY, Renovations, Home Organisation, Home Improvement, Home Makeovers, Home Styling, or Home Maintenance.
You can share 1 post each week. Please make sure they are new to the “Home Improvement Thursday” party.
Linking is simple, find the little blue button at the end of the post that says, Add Your Link, and then pop in your URL, and follow the prompts.
Your link only needs to be added once and it will automatically show up on both of our blogs… it’s that easy! Grab our #HIT button and pop it on your sidebar.
Don’t forget to share it with others. Follow the blogs of your fellow #HIT family, and leave a comment.
Please visit and comment on at least three blogs that are near you on the list.
Leave a comment on the post below so we can return the favour and comment on your post.
Don’t forget to follow The Builder’s Wife and The Plumbette.

An InLinkz Link-up

Interview With Carlie Low – Brisbane Plumbing Inspector and Investigator

By

Rebecca Senyard

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October 4, 2016

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carlie low female plumber and plumbing inspector

If there is one tradeswoman who I’ve been encouraged and inspired by through my journey as a plumber and blogger, it would be Brisbane’s Plumbing Inspector (and now investigator!), Carlie Low.

The night I received my award at the Construction Skills QLD awards, Carlie found me to congratulate me on my win and I’ve always remembered how supportive she was of me as I worked alongside my dad.

It’s only been in recent years that our paths have collided, through connection on social media (and my blog) and catching up at various plumbing events.

I, of course was thrilled to see Carlie receive the Queensland Building and Construction Commission’s Women in Plumbing and Gas Award at the 2016 Plumbing and Gas Industry Awards back in July.

Carlie is adamant about encouraging women to get into a trade and her career success has paved a way for other women to follow in her footsteps. I was able to get Carlie to share with me a bit about herself and her story to encourage you, wherever you are on your trade journey (or wherever you are in your own life journey).

Why did you decide to do a plumbing apprenticeship?

To be honest I have no idea why. I always remember that I wanted to be in the tourism industry or become a mechanic. I actually carried out a school based apprenticeship as I was over school, but I knew I still needed to get a Year 12 certificate in case plumbing never worked out. Thankfully it did.

What were some challenges with working in a male dominant industry?

To be honest it had it’s challenges that’s for sure but I don’t ever really remember them when I look back now (Can I still blame baby brains although my youngest is 2 1/2)! I used the challenges to make me stronger. Maybe that’s what made me so determined to keep on going.

Carlie at Parliament House — Carlie sharing about her career at the Women in Plumbing Breakfast at Parliament House

Has anyone inspired you while you did your apprenticeship?

No one really inspired me throughout my apprenticeship or should I maybe say my father. His dedication to his family run business and giving 110% to his clients made it all more rewarding and worthwhile. His passion for plumbing and protecting the community is why I was so drawn in also to do plumbing as a trade.

Where do you work in the plumbing industry now and how did you get to your current position?

I work for local government (Brisbane City Council) as a Plumbing Inspector/Investigator. I actually won an award after my apprenticeship and a few months after the awards ceremony I was contacted via a Plumbing Inspector asking if he could pass my details onto the Chief Plumbing Manager at the time and after an interview, my new career path started.

What are the challenges of being a plumbing inspector and how do you handle them?

When I first started, it was a combination of being a female and being so young so I just had to prove that I could do my job just as good as the males, if not better. I don’t really face too many challenges now – well ones that I would classify as a challenge.

How did you manage being pregnant and a plumbing inspector and how do you manage being a mum and working full time?

Carlie plumber — Carlie with her gorgeous kids.

Being pregnant and carrying out my role as a Plumbing Inspector was quite good. From about 6 months (pregnant) I was made office based as the risk carrying out inspections on construction sites could never be determined via a computer so if something happened to have gone wrong, the council did not want to be put in that situation.

So being a mum and working full time isn’t the ideal life for some but it works for me. I have been doing it since my eldest child was 7mths and my youngest child who was 8mths. It can surely take it’s toll but you just have to adjust to fit your lifestyle I guess. What might be a breeze for me may not be for someone else.

What does a typical day look like for you?

5.00am – 5.30am Get up, 6.30am Drop kids at kindy, 7.00am Start work, 6.00pm Arrive home, 6.15pm Get kids ready for bed and have dinner, 7.00pm Kids head to their rooms for a story book, 8.00pm Tidy house up (Dishes/Floors/Washing ect), 8.30pm – 10.00pm Start work on my part time job (Helping others with their Health & Wellness).

Why should women consider plumbing (or any trade) as a career?

Why shouldn’t they consider it? It is by far one of the most rewarding industries I say.

What do you like to do in your spare time?

In my spare time I love to spend quality time with my little family before they grow up.

What other businesses or hobbies do you work on while being an inspector and mum?

I have a huge passion for helping others take control of their health both physically and emotionally. Nothing more rewarding than seeing someone have the most amazing life changing experience not just for them, but a lot of the time for the whole family.

Do you have any encouragement for girls finding it tough to keep working towards their license?

I can’t stress enough to just KEEP ON GOING, no matter what. Every single job, career, hobby, passion has a path like a rollercoaster. It isn’t meant to be smooth sailing the whole time. Treat every challenge as a failure – treat it as learning, and build strength from it. You honestly have nothing to lose and a heap to gain.

See isn’t Carlie a fabulous role model for our industry? There have been many penny dropping moments after I’ve interacted with Carlie. I love her can-do attitude and she is definitely someone I’m inspired by within the industry.

Who inspires you in your trade or industry? Got anything you’d like to tell Carlie? Drop a line in the comments below. 🙂

The New Flat-Pack Home Available in Australia Described as “IKEA on Steroids”

By

Rebecca Senyard

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September 29, 2016

4

If you can’t afford to a buy a home in Australia, there may be good news for you if you’ve been wanting to jump in on the property ladder.

A Sydney architect, Alex Symes, has founded a new business venture called Big World Homes which offers a flat-pack home that owners can ‘build themselves’.

Described as “IKEA on steroids”, the flat-pack homes offer a solution to sustainability and the housing shortage in Australia.

A one bedroom house measures 13.75 square meters and comes as a flat pack of 37 panels that require a drill, hammer and wrench to put together.

Alex Symes told ABC news, “It has all its water tanks; we have two potable water tanks, we’ve got one grey water tank, so all the waste water effectively comes to the grey water tank, you add an additive to it and then effectively that’s safe to go on your garden.

“We’ve got the gas cylinders for cooking and also for hot water heating, [and] we’ve got batteries at the back — they’re linked to the solar PV and that’s effectively what runs all your lights.”

Currently, Australia has the biggest houses in the world averaging 89 square meters, but the demand for smaller homes has increased as they provide an affordable housing option for home owners.

The flat-pack designed home from Big World Homes will set customers back $65,000. It includes ‘the trailer the home sits on, off the grid-technologies and all the white goods.’

The extra costs involved in getting the house is finding the land to place it on.

Alex explains, “We actually need to be able to curate land, big blocks of land, say brownfield sites or other pieces of open land in which we can host these big world communities.

“These pop-up communities where people who want to, say, spend a couple of years saving for a deposit or have a more flexible approach to their housing lifestyle can live on site on these curated communities.”

Tiny homes are becoming a worldwide trend.

“This is happening around the world. WikiHouse chapters occur in every state of Australia. Big in the US. Big in the UK,” he said.

“Big World Homes in some ways is Australia’s answer to this — a home-grown version.”

While the flat-pack home design may appeal to some, it may not appeal to many who have large families or prefer living in a bricks and mortar home in the suburbs. But the tiny homes are designed to be transitional housing, to bridge the gap from renting and owning.

What do you think of the flat-pack homes? Would you live in a flat-pack home?

Home Improvement Thursday Rules For Linking Up

If you’re a DIY, home organization, building, renovation, home makeover, home decorating, home maintenance or trade related blogger we’d LOVE you to link up with us below. Here are the HIT rules for how to link up and what you need to do once you have linked up.
Linkable posts, must centre around the topics of DIY, Renovations, Home Organisation, Home Improvement, Home Makeovers, Home Styling, or Home Maintenance.
You can share 1 post each week. Please make sure they are new to the “Home Improvement Thursday” party.
Linking is simple, find the little blue button at the end of the post that says, Add Your Link, and then pop in your URL, and follow the prompts.
Your link only needs to be added once and it will automatically show up on both of our blogs… it’s that easy! Grab our #HIT button and pop it on your sidebar.
Don’t forget to share it with others. Follow the blogs of your fellow #HIT family, and leave a comment.
Please visit and comment on at least three blogs that are near you on the list.
Leave a comment on the post below so we can return the favour and comment on your post.
Don’t forget to follow The Builder’s Wife and The Plumbette.

An InLinkz Link-up

Six Things You Don’t Want to Hear From Your Kids When in The Pool

By

Rebecca Senyard

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September 27, 2016

11

Heading to the pool with three kids in tow is no relaxing feat. Gone are the days of taking a book to the pool and lazing back on the lounge for some uninterrupted reading time.

It’s a lot different these days.

In fact, at times it’s anything but relaxing as you watch each child like a hawk to make sure they aren’t drowning and can be seen AT ALL TIMES.

When we went away for our week’s holiday, we had three pools to choose from which had segregated areas for the little kids to swim in. Of course our three girls didn’t want to swim in the one area, so Jacob and I would be in separate pools, supervising the swimming activities.

We had a few cooler days where it was warmer in the pool than out, and of course our kids would require assistance which meant either Jacob or I would have to get out of the water. We’d almost do scissors, paper, rock with our eyes, as we’d challenge each other on who would be the one to get out of the water and attend to the child who obviously didn’t care about the temperature.

It was during one of these intense moments, Jacob suggested I write a post, ‘things you don’t want to hear from your kid when you’re in the pool’. And so, here is that post, because I’m sure there are many families around Australia on holidays, where parents are hearing the same comments from their own kids while in the pool.

Six Things You Don’t Want to Hear From Your Kids When in the Pool

1. I just did a wee. Hmm is that why the water was warm a couple of seconds ago? Everyone does it. Apparently. It’s like peeing in the shower. Thank goodness for chlorine.

2. Can you take me to the toilet? Yes I can my darling, because I much prefer you to wee in the toilet than in the pool I’m swimming in.

3. Mum I need to poo. RIGHT NOW. Mummy jumps out a second time to wipe child’s bottom, trying not to think about whether the wet floor in the public bathroom is pee or pool water. Or most likely both.

4. I think I’m going to throw up. Ugh. Another visit to the toilet.

5. I’m hungry. Out of the pool again to give snacks to the youngest toddler.

6. Mum, I just made my own spa! Seems farting can take one’s pool experience to the next level.

Without fail, we would have all six of these requests in one pool outing.

How do you find taking your kids to the pool? Do they say similar comments?

I’m linking with Kylie Purtell for IBOT.

Busiest Month Yet

By

Rebecca Senyard

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September 25, 2016

2

September has been my busiest month yet.

The first day of the month had me presenting at the Plumbing conference, which I felt unqualified to speak at. But as the quotes say, you embrace the fear and do it anyway. I think my presentation went well.

We went home, unpacked and had to race down to Ballina for Jacob’s grandpa’s funeral. We received news of Jacob’s pa passing away the morning we headed to the plumbing conference. No matter how anticipated a death can be, it’s always a shock when it happens. The service was perfectly fitting. The girls were as behaved as could be during the service. I had to give a container full of lollies to Phoebe to keep her sitting still. But then she was on a sugar high for most of the afternoon and went a bit crazy running around the RSL during the afternoon tea. Despite my kids going crazy, it was lovely to catch up with family we haven’t seen in a long while.

The following weekend, I headed down to Problogger which was awesome.

After the conference, I raced home to help get the house ready and car packed so we could go away on a week’s holiday down at Turtle Beach Resort.

Our little week away was fantastic.

We had perfect weather and on the one day we didn’t, we headed to the new Pacific Fair where all I could afford to do was window shop.

The outdoor areas at Pacific Fair are just gorgeous. I had to stop Phoebe and Maggie from jumping into one of the fountains as they thought it as a cool pool.

We had lovely walks along the beach, a lot of swimming and going down water slides and had general fun being together as a family. There were also lots of fights and tantrums but I don’t think you can escape these even if you go on holidays.

I took a book to read which I hardly made a dent into because… well kids.

Holidays aren’t fully the same when you take little kids away. Your attention has to be on them 100% of the time especially around the pool areas.

But the change in environment and routine – with nothing to do and nowhere to be makes the family holiday an annual event we look forward to all year.

This week, Jacob has been home and Esther has had the first week of school holidays. It’s given me time to slowly catch up on writing work and get some jobs done that have been sitting on the to-do-list for most of the year. In amongst all the busyness, I’ve also had requests from readers to write about a variety of topics so stay tuned for these. I will get my butt into gear this week to write those posts to help you. x

When it comes to matters of faith, I’ve been still a little sporadic in my prayer life and reading the word. But gosh I’ve learned a few things about myself in this trying year and I can’t wait to share what I’ve learned with you.

What I do know is often the things we don’t want to do, are usually the very things we need to do. So this un-satisfaction in my spiritual life has been a good catalyst for change and action.

I’m looking forward to finishing the last quarter of the year on a high. Hopefully you are too?

How have the school holidays been treating you? When do you go on your next holiday? How are you feeling? I’d love to know. X

Five Ways to Add Soul To Your Home – By a Non-Stylist

By

Rebecca Senyard

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September 22, 2016

2

Like any reality TV show, The Block can rouse many emotions in me. From surprise to shock to frustration and many eye-rolling moments – I know that’s not an emotion, but it is an emoticon so I’m rolling with it!

Sometimes I agree with the judges and sometimes I wonder what styling planet they are from. Do they say stuff for the sake of having something interesting to say?

Take Sunday night for example. I loved Julia and Sasha’s room. Their use of black, blush and grey, featuring the rose gold poster bed was stunning. But the judges made the comment that Julia (who is a stylist by trade) was being out-styled by her competitors and the room needed ‘personality and soul’.

Gimme a BREAK!

Total eye roll moment right there.

The apartments are styled in a way for a buyer to want to purchase it. The people who buy the apartment will put their own soul into the room. It is a guest bedroom so to say the room had no soul was a little contradictory. I do enjoy listening to what the judges have to say, but sometimes I disagree with their comments.

And I made it a point to tell Julia and Sasha how much I loved their room.

@ThePlumbette @TheBlock Thanks Rebecca!!

— Julia and Sasha (@JuliaAndSasha) September 18, 2016

In saying that, styling and art are subjective. What may be someone’s cup of tea may not the right brew for someone else.

Of course the judges’ comments got me thinking about ways you can add ‘soul’ to a room. I’m no interior stylist and some of these tips are tongue-in-cheek. But I am a plumber and I have walked through many houses and display homes that have presented an aura simply from the way they have been presented and styled.

Here are 5 ways to add soul to your home – from a non-stylist.

1. Add ‘souls’ to your room. By souls I mean real living people. Fall in love and (get married – just what I believe) move in together and create a home. Have a family. I can guarantee your house will not be the same once you add kids to it.

2. If you prefer to live alone – why not add a pet ‘soul’ to your home. My preference is a dog but you may prefer cats. Pets can decrease the stress in your home and help your wellbeing.

dog adds soul to your home — Can you see our dog Bentley in our room? He matches with our bed linen. 🙂

3. Display photos of memories and people you love. I love homes that have their photos on display. A house with no photos feels too show-homey for me. Make sure you update the photos as the family grows and as memories are made. (Clearly we need to update the photo in the below image.)

4. Introduce live plants to your living spaces. Plants clean the air and their presence in a home can create a calming aura.

5. Mix antique and vintage heirlooms with modern décor. Some of my favourite homewares are not the pieces bought from Kmart – but the pieces that have a story behind them. Like the vase that my grandma gave me which I used to admire all the time when I went to her house. Or the black and white pictures of the generational weddings in our family history. Or the décor pieces bought from overseas travels.

I’m sure there are more ways to add soul to a room – which could make for another blog post. But I think you’re on a good start if you can add these 5 things to your home. And most of us have and do.

How do you add ‘soul’ to your home? Did you agree with the judges’ comments on Sunday night? Did you like Julia and Sasha’s room like I did?

Home Improvement Thursday Rules For Linking Up

If you’re a DIY, home organization, building, renovation, home makeover, home decorating, home maintenance or trade related blogger we’d LOVE you to link up with us below. Here are the HIT rules for how to link up and what you need to do once you have linked up.
Linkable posts, must centre around the topics of DIY, Renovations, Home Organisation, Home Improvement, Home Makeovers, Home Styling, or Home Maintenance.
You can share 1 post each week. Please make sure they are new to the “Home Improvement Thursday” party.
Linking is simple, find the little blue button at the end of the post that says, Add Your Link, and then pop in your URL, and follow the prompts.
Your link only needs to be added once and it will automatically show up on both of our blogs… it’s that easy! Grab our #HIT button and pop it on your sidebar.
Don’t forget to share it with others. Follow the blogs of your fellow #HIT family, and leave a comment.
Please visit and comment on at least three blogs that are near you on the list.
Leave a comment on the post below so we can return the favour and comment on your post.
Don’t forget to follow The Builder’s Wife and The Plumbette.

An InLinkz Link-up

What Have You Been Avoiding – Problogger 2016 Recap

By

Rebecca Senyard

-

September 20, 2016

41

When I booked my ticket to attend Problogger 2016, I did so because of an announcement of one of the speakers. And of course a fear of missing out (FOMO).

To be honest, there weren’t a lot of topics that took my interest and when the said speaker was no longer speaking at the event I did consider selling my ticket.

But then one of my friends was announced as a speaker and that FOMO was pretty strong. Plus I was sharing a room with my blogging buddy Lauren from Create Bake Make and her baby, so even if the conference wasn’t going to meet my expectations, I was going to hang out with some pretty cool people who I don’t get to see often.

I’m not sure why I thought I wouldn’t get much from the speakers because I would say this year’s event was the best out of the last four conferences I’ve ever been to at Problogger. The speakers were motivating and captivating.

The atmosphere was relaxed. Bloggers I wanted to connect with were approachable. The networking opportunities were plentiful and varied. There’s also something that can be said for space amongst a crowd. I didn’t ever feel crowded. This year had an amazing amount of space.

Sitting at tables in the conference auditorium made the hugest difference in being able to engage with the speakers and other bloggers sitting at the tables. It sort of reminded me a bit like my wedding reception where you could get up and start hugging and mingling with people at different tables. This is not an easy thing to do when you’re packed in rows. There were jugs of water and lollies on the tables to help keep focus and it allowed those with laptops to set them up easily to type notes.

Some of the key things I really wanted to get a good handle on was getting my backend of the blog sorted out. Kelly Exeter shared her nightmare story of losing her blog last year and not having a backup. Kelly recommends we back up our blogs manually at the end of each week and store a copy on a hard drive and virtually. I’ve yet to do this but it’s been put on my list for today.

The next session I attended was about SEO. I have a lot of work to do in regards to this and I’m going to have to listen to this session again.

Daniel Flynn, the head of Thank You blew me away with his story of how Thank You came about and the struggles they had for 2 years when launching their Thank You Water. As a result of hearing their story I want to buy everything Thank You because I love the philosophy of the brand. I also need to buy their Chapter One book which is definitely something I encourage everyone to buy and read. Check out the video on why.

Emily from Write Styling (and also Have a Laugh on Me) gave fabulous tips on how to find topics to write for blog posts. Emily actually blew me away with her knowledge. I knew she would be good but I didn’t realise how good.

Darren Rowse’s keynote at the start of the conference and towards the end were what got me thinking the most. What have I been avoiding? Usually these are the important things to get done or make time for. I’m so glad I had last week to go away and spend time thinking about what those things that have been on my forever-to-do list but have kept being avoided because of the time and investment they will take in achieving.

I only caught the end of Dan Norris’s presentation and he encouraged everyone to do something BIG. Duly noted Dan!

I think what made the biggest difference for me this year was I chose to only go to half of the sessions available and I didn’t feel overwhelmed with an overload of knowledge. I’ve kept my to-do list small and achievable. On my to-do-list is to listen to sessions I didn’t get to and make actionable steps as I listen to each.

Of course my Problogging experience was only amplified by the bloggers that were at the conference. Networking is by far my favourite part of conference and it is the main drawcard of attending. I tried to get a selfie or photo with everyone I met. I put together a Shoebox Timeline slideshow because there were A LOT of photos.

I also had a few embarrassing tales which I may or may not share over the coming weeks. Some things that happen on conference need to stay on conference, right?

How did you find PBEVENT this year? What have you been avoiding that could make all the difference to your life or blog if you made time to do something about it?

I’m linking up with Kylie Purtell for IBOT.

Are These The Tap Faucets of The Future?

By

Rebecca Senyard

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September 15, 2016

3

I love a trend and will happily jump on it if I love it enough. Copper and marble are supposedly on their way out, but terracotta, natural, and recycled materials are on their way in.

Last week as I was busily writing posts ahead of schedule (so I can go away next week), I decided to do a little research to see what trends we will see in bathrooms for 2017.

I came across these amazing tap faucets, which were created by world-renowned designers as part of a creative project, The Axor WaterDream.

Axor invited David Adjaye, Werner Aisslinger, FRONT, GamFratesi, and Jean-Marie Massaud to create a unique water spout that revealed the designer’s value of water in our personal living spaces. The faucets were to push boundaries and challenge ideas around the tap faucet.

The designers came up with very unique looking faucets that were fully functional and put on display for a week at Axor’s Milan Design Week exhibition for Salone del Mobile 2016 back in April.

Axor WaterDream — Image via AXOR, HansGrohe

In terms of functionality, I think the water pressure would annoy me, or maybe it’s something you get used to?

They are definitely a work of art – more like a water feature in your basin and a different take on the metallic mixers that are a popular choice in retail, commercial and domestic spaces.

Designer, Werner Aisslinger, used clay for his faucet combining modern and older materials to create a futuristic design with a shelf that could be used to hold soap or a plant as pictured.

The Sea and the Shore by Werner Aisslinger

Ironically terracotta, clay and rust are big trends for interiors this season.

Despite the visual appeal of these spouts, I’m not sure if they will ever come into production. I wouldn’t want to know the cost to purchase one of them.

In terms of design they are definitely different and challenge the standard taps we see in all bathrooms.

What do you think of the designs? Which one is your favourite? Or are they too arty farty for you?

Home Improvement Thursday Rules For Linking Up

If you’re a DIY, home organization, building, renovation, home makeover, home decorating, home maintenance or trade related blogger we’d LOVE you to link up with us below. Here are the HIT rules for how to link up and what you need to do once you have linked up.

Linkable posts, must centre around the topics of DIY, Renovations, Home Organisation, Home Improvement, Home Makeovers, Home Styling, or Home Maintenance.

You can share 1 post each week. Please make sure they are new to the “Home Improvement Thursday” party.

Linking is simple, find the little blue button at the end of the post that says, Add Your Link, and then pop in your URL, and follow the prompts.

Your link only needs to be added once and it will automatically show up on both of our blogs… it’s that easy! Grab our #HIT button and pop it on your sidebar.

Don’t forget to share it with others. Follow the blogs of your fellow #HIT family, and leave a comment.

Please visit and comment on at least three blogs that are near you on the list.

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An InLinkz Link-up

Our Visit to Mazz & Co to Buy More House Plants

By

Rebecca Senyard

-

September 8, 2016

5

In the last year or so I have been adding live plants into our house. I’ve always been a little apprehensive about having plants in the house because I often forget to water them. But I’ve persevered and so far I’ve only killed four plants. Two out of the four plants I’ve killed, weren’t really my fault, but I was blamed because I was the cause.

We had two beautiful ferns growing near our kitchen sink and Jacob decided to spray them with water, not realizing I had put lavender oil in the bottle to clean the benches. The poor ferns never recovered after that and so it has been on my to-do-list to get some new plants for our kitchen.

The other two plants I killed were also ferns that I forgot to water and then overwatered and drowned. So far my aloe vera plant has been put in their place and it’s surviving and thriving.

Our new plants from Mazz & Co. The basil plants is a little droopy... — Our new plants from Mazz & Co. The basil plant is a little droopy…

Jacob had heard great things about a private nursery on the southside of Brisbane from his work colleagues. So last weekend, we set out to visit the nursery to see what was there and replace my ferns in the kitchen.

The nursery was called Mazz & Co and it is run by Mazz who is passionate about her plants. We had a good talk about life and plants while my girls ran around the nursery and spotted different birds in the tree branches above.

I got a botany lesson or two from Mazz about which plants were best suited for the shade and which ones required full sun. She showed me how she grew some of her succulents and even gave three to our girls to watch grow from home.

I told Mazz that I had read somewhere on the internet that gardening and working with plants was listed as one of the top 5 ways to lift one’s spirits and Mazz agreed. She believes the reason seeing plants and working with them fights against depression and anxiety is because when you buy a plant, you don’t just buy the plant for how it looks now, you buy it visualizing how it will look in the future. Plants bring about a positive outlook and this in turn helps us feel better about life and the future. That explanation was enough motivation for me to want to put plants everywhere in my house. My neighbor does this beautifully and I hope some of her style can rub off on me.

There are a few catches with having plants in the house though. Some need to get enough sunlight, they need to be watered and they may not look very leafy if you have kids around. Our poor fiddle leaf fig lost a few of its leaves because our girls decided to give it a ‘prune’. I have a selection of real and fake plants around the house so if we ever lose a real plant, we still have a fake one to keep the greenery look in our house.

While at Mazz & Co, there was a section of Kokedamas, which are made by Mazz’s daughter. We bought one of these too and have it sitting on our TV cabinet.

Another invention that Mazz showed me was this automatic pot plant watering device which waters your plants to the level they need. This is perfect for fiddle leaf figs which can be temperamental on how much water they need.

moisture matic — Moisture Matic for Fiddle Leaf Figs

A trip to the nursery is a fun way to spend a Saturday morning or afternoon, and I know we will definitely be coming back to Mazz & Co to buy more plants as we need them.

If you live in Brisbane, you need to go check out Mazz & Co: 52 Executive Drive, Park Ridge. And when you see Mazz, tell her The Plumbette told you to come visit.

Do you have many plants in your house? Do you like to visit the nursery?

Last week on Home Improvement Thursday, Michelle from Jarrah Jungle shared some dog friendly backyard options as they consider their next renovation project – the backyard.

And TOMFO shared how she created this freaking amazing tree art. I’m in awe of it and how easy it is to make one yourself.