Into the Karoo | Style Inspiration Moodboard

I’m off to my favourite Western Cape reserve this weekend – Sanbona Private Game Reserve – for a MUCH-ANTICIPATED time of being with good friends, eating great food, drinking red wine and hanging out under the Karoo stars – my favourite.

What I love about being out in the Karoo is the incredible sense of space; the sky is bigger here (I can imagine Montana similarly), and the horizons blur out in the distance. The quaint farmhouses dot the desert scrub and herds of sheep skitter along the slopes; it’s farmland out here, and it’s so peaceful.

I’ve always loved visiting Karoo farmhouses or side-of-the-road farmstalls, as there’s always something to look at, buy or get interested in, as well as fascinating people to talk to. One of the things I enjoy the most is the style of a farmhouse; I always say I want a Karoo kitchen, and hopefully one day I can make that happen!

From white-washed walls to simple ceramics, wooden floors and textured  pieces of furniture, the style is always unique and custom-made. I’ve put together a Karoo moodboard today – just for a little bit of inspiration on an entire style of living… for more great Karoo pics, check out this great Pinterest board.

On Beauty…

I was browsing Facebook the other day and came across a post by Wynberg Girls High (where I went to school) about the 2013 Matric Dance; of course I had to read it – and was whisked off 10 years ago into my own dance, where I wore a cream top with matching satin gloves, and a long fish-tail satin skirt in wine red… things have certainly changed, but the concept of ‘what is beautiful’ hasn’t.

I read with admiration the speech made by this year’s head girl Lauren Gildenhuys, who hit the nail on the head when she described the difference between ‘being beautiful’ and ‘having beauty’:

I realised that the words beauty and beautiful have two very different meanings. Beauty is related to truth, goodness and grace, it dances in your souls and makes other people want to be around you for the right reasons. It is timeless, and it will not come off with make-up remover. It will touch hearts, not eyes. And so, although I want you all to know that you look beautiful tonight, what is more important is that you know that you each possess your own dazzling unique beauty, and will never lose it.

And just how beautiful is that? To know that each of us possess our own unique brand of beauty, and that beauty can be seen in moments, in a glance, in a landscape, in an action…I hope this has been inspirational, and that you know that we are all beautiful, because we have beauty.

My Favourite PinBoards on Pinterest [Decor Inspiration]

I love Pinterest. It’s been such a great creative outlet, not just for finding great inspiration for house and home, but for giving direction and energy to my blog posts! I have been on Pinterest for a while now – when it was still ‘invite only’ and I have just loved the new look of the site. If you’re on it and haven’t upgraded – do it now! Bigger pins, better experience.

I thought I would share some of my favourite pin boards with you – all to do with home decor, DIY inspiration, clever ideas and some more specifics: kitchens, storage, at-home office spaces. This is all leading up to ‘The Big Move’ and so I’m pinning away so that one day I can use all these great ideas in real life.

Enjoy! If you have some great Pinterest boards of your own, please post the links below in a comment and I’ll be sure to follow your pins 🙂 x

All of my favourite home decor ideas – from couches to prints to frames to vases to ornaments. Anything that catches my eye ends up here 🙂

This is my ‘ideas’ space with great practical DIY opportunities to take something at home and change it into something really beautiful and lovely.

For anyone who ever wanted a home office – regardless or not if you think you’d be productive! – this is my inspiration space for dreaming of working at home.

For all those ‘ah, great idea!’ pins. Some very clever little ideas that look great, don’t appear to take very much work and will make everyone else jealous.

I’m a little bit silly over traditional farm/Karoo-style decor. I love the all-white rooms, the rustic wood, the vintage chandeliers and the homey feel.

Places to store and keep. From shelves to cupboards to containers and wardrobes – this is all about great storage ideas – and where to put those tesky items!

Looveeee kitchens. Anything that catches my eye that’s inspirational, beautiful and looks like a great space for dreaming, cooking and conversation ends up here.

At Home on the Farm – Country Interiors Moodboard

I simply love farm-style country decor, especially if it represents the look & feel of one of my favourite places – the Karoo. My husband and I have been house-hunting for the past few weeks, and I’ve seen a couple of houses that have such character and history, really showing off their farm-house heritage.

I’ve put together a moodboard of some of my favourite inspirational images that showcase farm-style country decor – the rest of the Pinboard is here if you’d like to see the photos in more detail! Check out these two posts for more great interior inspiration: Farm-Style Country Decor and Karoo Decor Inspiration.

Summer Trends for 2012 – A Saturday Moodboard

Haven’t done a moodboard in ages, but since I was inspired to go shopping last night after work and managed to come home with a few choice new items, I thought I’d spring a moodboard on the blog this morning – all in celebration of Summer 2012’s FABULOUS fashion, makeup & hair trends…

Think Neon, Pastel & Prints, top colours are mint, teal, green, coral & pink, dipped hair is in, brights are good to go, makeup is fresh & colourful, jewellery is big, glittery and bright... enjoy!

Summer 2012 Trend Moodboard | all images from Pinterest

Thursday Inspiration – Strength through the One who Strengthens Us

Days come when things don’t go right, stuff gets us down, people make us upset, we disappoint ourselves… and the food burns in the oven. Sometimes we have days like that, and its just means we need to draw just a little deeper within ourselves and find the strength to move forward and above.

The human spirit is really amazing, and I think we doubt or don’t expect to find the amazing strength we have within us. I read a book recently about a Jewish man who had escaped from Treblinka during World War 2. The daily atrocities he was faced with are something we cannot even comprehend – but somehow (somewhere) he took each day as something to overcome and his incredible strength and hope for a real future kept him going.

I was rather humbled when I read this account, and it made my little troubles seem so incredibly insignificant; how could I even complain about a bad day when terrible days happen every day around the world to so many people? Am I unable to gather the strength to get over a bad day when others are drawing incredible momentum to escape from atrocities?

The good thing in ALL of this, is that God is the beacon of strength and light in each one of us. I firmly believe that He is the one that gives us the strength to get us through tough times – even tiny insignificant bad days. Today’s post was drawn out of me having a ‘bad day’, but has grown into a realisation in myself that our strength is worth fighting for, and ALWAYS worth asking God for.

“For I can do all things through Christ who Strengthens Me” – Phillipians 4:13

Chocolate Board of Yumminess! | Friday Recipe Inspiration

As it’s Friday (and it’s still cold and rather mis outsides still) – this post is dedicated to the best comfort food in the world – CHOCOLATE! Whether it’s cake, biscuits, croissants, mousse, pudding, cupcakes or plain old blocks – chocolate is still one of the best ‘little pleasures’ in the world 🙂

If you’ve got any great chocolate inspired recipes you’d like to share with the Good Girls Guide readers – please post as a comment below! Always looking for more ways to spoil  ourselves, our husbands & boyfriends and our friends 🙂 Have a super weekend everyone! God bless x

all photos from Pinterest.

And I Will Worship You… | Moodboard of Praise

I feel so so blessed at the moment, and just feel that I need to thank God for all that he’s put in my life, especially that my husband and I are celebrating one year of marriage on Sunday – wow! Time has just flown…

Today I’ve put together a Moodboard of Praise – just celebrating God’s goodness in my life and as a reminder to myself and to all of us that praise and thanks needs to be a daily part of our lives! Thanks Lord for all you’ve done in my life – I just hope that I can be a light, a rainbow, a mouthpiece of your goodness to others. WOOHOO! And I will worship you…

Roar Like a Lion! African-inspired Moodboard

Today I decided to share a gorgeous African-inspired moodboard with you all – iconic, classic, quirky and quintessential elements and images that typify Africa in many ways. From art to landscapes to gorgeous safari-style decor and furniture, to fashion, endless horizons and wildlife appreciation…

I love creating moodboards – they can be inspirational in so many ways: sparking an idea, setting a mood, getting you motivated, reminding you of dreams…I encourage you all to create your own moodboard in your home – above your desk in your study, on the kitchen fridge or even on the back of the bathroom door – whereever you are, be inspired!

So enjoy this ROAR like a Lion African-inspired Moodboard today, only on The Good Girls Guide:

Africa Inspiration | all images from Pinterest.

Rainy Day Moodboard | Winter Inspiration

There’s something about a rainy day that can either tickle your fancy or put you in the foulest mood imaginable. In order to keep the peace and to promote harmony, I highly recommend taking the former option, and not getting caught up in the ‘weather=my mood’ conundrum…

I found some gorgeous rainy-day inspired images that I smashed together into a moodboard for you all – and it’s all about embracing the rain in one’s life (good or bad), with song, bright colours, clear umbrellas for the full effect, getting wet (joyfully), and of course…letting the sun come out.

So if you’re having a bad wintery weather day, take heart! Let this little moodboard make your day a little brighter, only on The Good Girls Guide…

Inspiration On a Rainy Day | all images from Pinterest.