Category Hobbies

June Reading Round-Up: Slow going but great books

This month felt like a slower month for reading, and spoiler alert, I only finished three books. But the ones that I read were great, so I don’t feel like it was wasted.

I think it was just that I was so tired every day this month that I barely got reading time in before my eyes were closing, or my Kindle was dropping on my face.

Here’s the summary for the month.

Books I read this month

Rewind It Back – Liz Tomforde

Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ (and a half)
Link: amazon.com
Format: Kindle

This is the final book in the “Windy Series”. It’s about two people who, after a messy breakup, meet back up in their adult lives. One is a successful sports star, and one is an aspiring interior designer working two jobs, trying to keep things together.…

Kel
01/07/2026

Home Renovations Part 1: Bookshelves

Towards the end of last year, we went through some major renovations at home. The bathrooms and laundry wrapped up just after Christmas, but the bookshelf – the thing I was most excited about – only just recently finished.

This was something I’d always wanted – a bookshelf with a secret door.

Heads up, though: if you spot any dodgy ceiling bits in the photos, just ignore them. We’re still working on repainting some of the ceiling and the walls.

What we wanted

Ever since I was a kid, I’ve wanted a secret door. I put it down to reading books like The Secret Garden, and imagining myself solving mysteries like Trixie Belden or The Famous Five.

I’ve also always loved to read.…

Kel
20/06/2026
6 Comments

Perfectionism is ruining my crafting hobby

Today I was doing some craft, trying yet again to make a glitter and resin tumbler.

It’s my fourth time. Actually, fifth, if you count the time I tried to make my nieces some tumblers (they were my first attempts and were umm… something).

While I was sanding the tumbler and getting cranky looking for lumps and bumps everywhere (sigh), I had a few realisations:

My need for perfection in craft gives me anxiety.
My anxiety means that I don’t enjoy what I’m doing.
No one said I had to enjoy resin tumblers.
No one is expecting perfection from me.
I shouldn’t let anxiety steal my joy.
I’ve whinged about this on my blog multiple times already.

Ultimately, I realised I’ve completely lost my way with crafting.…

Kel
13/06/2026

Boring candles for deaf people

This afternoon, my husband clocked that I was pretty knackered. I’m not sure what gave it away, possibly the whole “curl up on the couch under a blanket and look like I’m sleeping with my eyes open” thing I had going on.

He offered to take our son to the birthday party this afternoon so that I could stay home and rest.

Heck yes, please.

So, I laid on the couch and attempted to nap, and failed.

Then my brain kicked in.

“You shouldn’t waste this time you’ve got to yourself. You should do some of the stuff on your to-do list that you’ve been putting off.”

I dragged myself off the couch and into my office. I sat at my computer and used ChatGPT to help design a drinking game to use with the timber blocks I have.…

Kel
06/06/2026
6 Comments

First up in “Just Make It June” (DIY faux leather earrings with a Silhouette Cameo)

Last month I did a stocktake of my office and… yikes. Supplies everywhere. Faux leather, wooden letters, candle wax, wicks, the works. Stuff I’d picked up with great intentions and then just left there.

And to make it worse, I wanted to buy more.

So I put myself on a buying ban, and “Just make it June” was born. My challenge for the month: make as many craft things as I can using what I’ve already got sitting around. No new purchases. Use the stuff. Simple!

These were the craft supplies I pulled out

The first project in my sights was to make earrings. It’s on my list of 52-in-52 for 2026 (52 things in 52 weeks), and I already had everything I needed.…

Kel
03/06/2026