My Decorating Tips for the Perfect Wedding!

Having recently had the privilege of being not only a bridesmaid, but also chief decorator, for my brother and sister-in-law’s wedding, I thought I would blog a few tips for how we achieved their amazing day!

1.       The All Important Venue:

What style do you want for your wedding? Rustic, vintage, modern, simplistic.... make a decision and hunt for a venue that will suit your style.

We were going with rustic, warm and welcoming and picked the amazing Glen Ewin Estate http://glenewinestate.com.au/.  They decided to hold their ceremony in the gorgeous gardens, which immediately gave us a ‘natural’ theme to follow as well.

 

 

 

2.       Colours & Textures:

Decide on bridesmaid colours early and then make sure all other aspects compliment these colours. Also keep in mind the fabric and textures of your dress and the girls’.

Chelsea chose navy blue for her girls and all the dresses (including her own gorgeous gown) included lace, so our story was forming.... we had rustic, vintage, lace and a natural garden setting.

 

3.       Flowers:

Whether you’re wanting fresh or artificial flowers, find a fabulous florist, pick the colours & types of flowers you want in your floral decorations to compliment your venue style and bridesmaids dresses. Don’t mix your styles!

Chelsea and Cain chose to have fresh whites, including lilies, gypsophila, roses and dahlias, plus gorgeous greens to soften their look. This combination fit perfectly with their vintage, timeless style, plus added softness to the rustic Barn their reception was to be held in. The added touch of navy blue organza around the bridesmaid’s posies tied everything in perfectly, and the huge table centrepieces were nothing short of spectacular!

 

 

4.       All the little extras:

And I’m talking about everything from the chair sashes, to the menus, the bonbonniere, table numbers, place settings....everything!! It’s all about the extras! The time you spend on these things will be what takes your wedding from good to GREAT! And we all want great! But please, don’t just combine every single thing that takes your fancy – STICK TO THE THEME! It has to MATCH, otherwise it’s going to look messy and overbearing. And think outside the square! We’ve all been to so many weddings over the years and while everyone loves a wedding, it’s always refreshing to see NEW IDEAS! We don’t want the guests to know what to expect around every corner!

 

So we spent a lot of time Pinteresting, googling and finding items we liked and brainstorming how to fit them into our theme. We drew up lists, we set up tables with our goodies so we could see how it would look, and then we researched some more (if this is not your thing, but you want everything to look great, enlist the help of someone who can do this for you!).

In this way, we were able to create a wedding that was warm & comfortable for the guests, but also unique, romantic and stunning all in one! So you know those ideas you ponder over in the middle of the night?....don’t just dismiss them in the morning as too hard -  it’s YOUR DAY - the best day of your life so far, so don’t just dream about it, get out there and do it! You deserve it! And have an absolute ball!

March Supplier Profile - Madras Link! By Paul Turner

We're kicking off with the first of our supplier profiles today, and what better place to start than with Madras Link, our first stop for all things on trend in the world of cushions and throws... and for good reason.

Madras Link has been in business since 1990, and are at the top of their game quite simply because this Australian owned family business is built on a foundation of design excellence. Whether it's our favourite cushions and throws, or items from Madras Link's broader homewares range - which includes rugs, lines and gifts - everything is designed with the Australian home-maker in mind, with inspirations gathered from all over the world.






Best of all, Madras Link's range blends quality, affordability and style, evidenced here at the Miners Couch by the fact that every shipment (and there are many), simply walks out the door.

There's no better time than now to check out Madras link at The Miners Couch (www.theminerscouch.com.au), with a huge new shipment showcasing the very latest in trends and colours, just unpacked, and already selling fast!

 

 

See our full range at www.facebook.com/theminerscouch!

Best Ways to Spruce Up Your Place for Summer!

So in my last blog I jumped up on my soapbox, ranting about how to declutter your home in this year’s Spring clean! You’ve had a few weeks to get that done now, you’ve sold your goodies online, and you are now cashed up for some redecorating! But.... what will make the biggest impression for the smallest amount of cash, you ask...well, here’s my favs:

Oh, but firstly, my theory hinges on the fact that you’ve got smart and painted your house in fresh,

light neutrals (please tell me you have!), which means every time the whim takes you, you can swap

all sorts of accessories to introduce a totally new colour! But for those of you that decided to go

bold with your colours and now find that nothing this season matches them, your first task is to

spend a couple hundred bucks on paint and get to work!!

So with that small issue cleared up, back to my favs...

1.       CUSHIONS!
Cushions are generally a fav of mine at the best of times, and this is no exception... this season the most popular colours are blue (any sort of blue you can find basically!), with yellows coming in second. Remember to mix and match your patterns and also add some great textures as well. Voilah! Totally new look for your lounge room!

Madras Link are our absolute fav cushions at
The Miners Couch!

You can check out all our new season cushions at www.facebook.com/theminerscouch

 

2.       TABLE RUNNER

A super simple and cheap upgrade is definitely the table runner...you’ve done the cushions, so now, match your dining space in with the new lounge look, by finding a table runner to suit your colour choice for this season.

 

 

 

 

3.       QUILT!
While this may be a slightly bigger expense, the impact is definitely worth it! Your new choice will change the whole look of your bedroom! But if the purse strings won’t stretch quite that far, look into changing the cushions and adding a matching runner along the bottom of the bed too!

We LOVE an Angads (www.angads.com.au) quilt!

 

                                              4.       WALL DECOR....
So you’ve got that dowdy piece of artwork that you just haven’t been bothered to change, and let’s face it, wasn’t it a hand me down from Great Aunty Sue (that’s if you can see it for the film of dust)?? ITS GOT TO GO! And replace it with a mirror, canvas, multi picture frame, or gorgeous clock....100 times better!! Just keep the picture in the closet incase Great Aunty Sue decides to visit.

 

5.       TEA TOWELS (I'm serious!)

See how cheerful they look??

Tea towels you say? Well, I had my faded and stained ones hanging on the oven for all to see...and when I swapped them over to something bright and funky in the new season colours, I could almost feel the whole kitchen breathe a sigh of relief! Remember to match them in with your new table runner!

 

 

So, crank out that cash you’ve been hoarding from the spring clean and let loose your inner decorator! Have fun!

Get Motivated for Some ‘Clutter Management’!

Right....so for all you sun lovers (or lizards, as I like to refer to myself), we have made it through winter and the sun has popped out for us again! And there’s no better time of year to do some ruthless spring cleaning then NOW! So if you’re a hoarder, or the absolute opposite (like me), and you know you’ve still managed to accumulate more goodies (or baddies) over winter, it’s time to get motivated for clutter management!

So you know that drawer? That cupboard? That spot under the bed? Your wardrobe (cringe)? All those convenient places that are so easy to throw things in when you don’t have time to think about it further? Well, make some time this weekend (it’s an extra long one here, so even better!) to tidy these up. Even if you knock off one of them, you’ll feel so much better and it will get you on a role for doing the next ones!

My golden rule...if it hasn’t been used in over a year, you’re not going to use it again!! So throw it out, or better still, SELL IT! There’s some great sites – Ebay & Gumtree - but my fav are the Facebook Buy, Swap & Sell pages. You can usually find at least a couple in your area. Just take a happy snap on your Smartphone, load it straight up to the FB page with a description, realistic price (remember you want to get rid of it! Any cash is a bonus!), and your location for pickup (just your town name is enough) and away you go!! Often by the time I have listed my item on all four pages in our area, it has already sold on the first one! Love a quick sale! And we have a win-win situation, you’ve got rid of your unwanted clutter, have some cash in your hot little hand, and the buyer will have found just what they were looking for!

Now, as for the other items...everything that actually has a proper home in another area of your house....cooking item? Put it in the kitchen! Cleaning item? Straight to the laundry! Spare pillow? Into the linen closet....I can see you’re getting this! Comfy 5yr old trackies (seriously, how many do you need)....Take them, and anything else in good nick, to your local charity! Another win-win – you’ve finished cleaning up and you’ve also helped someone in need!

 

So now you’ve successfully de-cluttered, you’ve got a bit of unexpected cash burning a hole in your pocket AND you’re feeling AWESOME about yourself to boot.... it’s time for some redecorating! Stay tuned for my next blog, where you can read about my hot tips to jazz up your home for the Summer season!

Pretty....AND Practical!

                                       Pretty.....AND Practical

 

Today I thought I’d write about my ABSOLUTE fav combo - items that are both pretty....AND practical!! Now, like any girl, I’m a bit of a sucker for all the pretties in life. But, thanks to some genes I suspect came from both of my ridiculously hands-on grandpa’s, it’s just got to be practical too if it’s coming home with me!

We are super lucky to have a lots of lovely company reps come out to visit us at The Couch (www.theminerscouch.com.au) these days, and often when they point out new arrivals, the first thing to fall out my mouth is ‘yes, but WHAT do you DO with it??’. I think I must drive some of them mad....

But, well its true isn’t it...how many things can you really have in your home that just sit around ‘existing’ (another of my fav words – ‘existing’!)? And, when I’m on my soapbox explaining to hubby why I definitely NEED that new piece of decor, it really helps to win the debate if I can point out a PRACTICAL reason for buying it! What an angle!! He can’t argue with that!

So, here’s my list of TOP 5 pretty AND practical pieces of decor!

1.       CLOCKS!

Clocks these days are totally gorgeous!! I don’t know who first had the idea of turning a boring old item like the clock, into something huge, textured, coloured and delicious – but I wish it was me! So, if you haven’t got yourself one of these statement pieces (which conveniently also tells us the time!), definitely add it to the list!

 

 

 

                                                                                                   2.       LAMPS!

Hmm...Whether you’re cosying up on the couch, reading a good book, entertaining for dinner or treating someone special to a bit a romance....where would you be without a lamp! And now lamps come in so many amazing forms! A real feature in any room and a complete mood setter too!

 

  

 

 

3.       PICTURE FRAMES!

Now the practical side of these is pretty self explanatory! Most of us like displaying a few (or a whole wall) of our most fav people, pets and places. These days the frames you get to choose from are just about as diverse as the people you are putting in them! Styles, colours, textures, sizes....an endless choice!

4.       CUSHIONS!

Ok, so those of you who follow our Facebook page (www.facebook.com/theminerscouch), will already know how (let’s be frank) OBSESSED I am with cushions! Practically... they’re soft, they’re cosy, and they’re comfy. They support your head, your back...your busted ankle!! And prettily....they are gorgeous!!! Once again, the range available these days is just SO diverse! Colours, textures, patterns, sizes! And it’s easy decorating, with mix and match being the latest style. You can make a huge impact to any of your rooms with just a couple of these pieces of gorgeousness!

 

5.       SUPER SOFT THROWS & BLANKIES

What a partner this one is for cushions! The two are seriously a match made in heaven! So for my practical argument, blankets are warm, cosy, snug and suit all of us ‘texture lovers’ (I’m rubbing my fingers together just thinking about them)!  And they are colourful, add warmth and generally just soften a room, making it more appealing and homelike. You can check out my absolute fav cosy winter blankets at http://www.theminerscouch.com.au/#!cushions-and-throws/ctxk

 

 

So, you can see my point! Why these two words are NOT such an unlikely match, and what is pretty CAN be practical too! And the more you think about it, the more pretty AND practical items spring to mind!! I can almost hear your brains ticking over! Handy coasters, textured footstools, rustic benches, amazing dining tables, lovely mirrors, scented candles.... So go forth and fill your house with such goodies...your home will look marvellous, and your hubby will tell all his mates about how lucky he is to have such a practically minded partner! *Giggle*

 

 

Five Years at The Miners Couch

FIVE YEARS!!

So, yesterday marked my fifth year of running The Miners Couch! What a milestone! My Dad (a wise businessman himself) told me in the first few months of starting my new career at The Couch, that owning a small business is very hard work and if you’re still trading at the five year mark, you know you’ve made it in today’s market...he then hit me with all the depressing stats on how many small businesses don’t make it to that five year goal (always so straight to the point is my Dad!).

Luckily there’s nothing that brings out the best in me like setting a tough goal (which looking back, I suspect my Dad knew)...so the whirlwind began....

I still remember the first week I spent as a ‘Shop Keeper’, looking around my new workplace and wondering what on earth I had done by leaving my teaching career. I flicked through all the files, looked at the meaningless names of the companies, tried to sound like I knew what I was talking about when customers asked questions, felt like a fraud... even went home in tears one night thinking I was stupid for taking it on in the first place.

But I’m a ‘swim’ kind of girl, sinking was just not an option, and over the next few months, something clicked into place...something I’d been looking for, for ten years...and I started to feel like I’d found what I was meant to be here for!

Suddenly there were awesome companies to find, new styles to explore, lovely reps to meet, gorgeous customers to please...There was Bed and Breakfasts to renovate (www.redwingbnb.com.au) as well, and a shop move to Moonta.  It was such a fabulous learning curve!

But let’s not make it out to be all fun and games...it was HARD. Long hours, always researching to stay on top of the trends, chasing up the very best of companies, learning to be fair but tough too,  constant reviewing of figures, and constant revamping and generating *new ideas. My job became my life, and while it’s an amazing job, my most steep learning curve was finding a balance.

So, while I work my little butt off still, I have also learnt to walk away, to turn off my phone and even to enjoy long walks on the beach (true!). And if any of you are thinking of starting your own business, I highly recommend you do the same!  Once I worked out how to do that (and yes, i still have to constantly remind myself to switch off), things started to flow and my business started to roll.

So for the last five years, I've had this goal in my head. Sometimes I was scared I wouldn’t make it, sometimes I felt like I was physically dragging the business through. But I have determination, I have strength, I have dreams, and I flatly refused to not make it!! AND IM HERE!! HAPPY FIFTH BIRTHDAY TO US!!

 So all of you out there, if you are dreaming of something new, my advice....

* do the research,

* do the figures,

* find a mentor,

* ask every question you can think of,

* challenge yourself (but realistically),

* work hard,

* learn to switch off sometimes,

* don't be afraid to ask for help (you can't actually do it all yourself, all of the time!)

* dream big,

*  believe in yourself and

* ENJOY!!

Thanks so much for being a part of my journey! Couldn’t have done it without you all J

*insert me singing happy birthday and doing a happy dance here!*

 

*New Ideas included numerous things, some ridiculous, but some better ones were www.theminerscouch.com.au, www.facebook.com/theminerscouch and www.pinterest.com/theminerscouch.

What Makes A House a Home?

So, after running our first Facebook giveaway (www.facebookcom/theminerscouch), with the question ‘what makes your house a home?’ , reading all of your answers got me inspired to think about what does make a house a home…

Some of you may have read a previous blog of mine, about renovating our farmhouse, and I guess what has made our house a home starts with the fact that it was created by us! All of our dreams, ideas, our hard work, our pets, even the odd tiff, has made what we have today.

I guess I looked at our house as a shell, it might’ve been dilapidated and inhabited by number of wild creatures, but it was just sitting there waiting for someone to love it and fill it with family, love, laughter, hand me downs, special new items, photos, colours, textures… all these things that portray the people that live in it and the lives they lead.

When my parents decided to sell the family house we had grown up in, in order to build a new home, I have to say we were all a little sad. So many memories were made there, it was hard to imagine life in another place. Everything was packed up and once again the house was just a shell, awaiting its new owners, new people to fill it and create a life in it.

Meanwhile, my parents finished their new house and we all set about shifting their much loved goodies into it… it was during this time, as we watched the new shell come alive, that I realised a house on its own is not a home, but whatever shell you choose to set your family and life up in is what turns it into a home. My parents’ new home is now just as full of memories and fun times as was our previous home.

When thinking of my own special home we have created on our property at Redwing, my entry for the giveaway, what makes my house a home, in 25 words or less, would be:

‘It’s the peace, it’s the quiet,

It’s the beauty in the silence.

It’s the love, it’s the laughter,

And the happy ever after.’