Guidelines we made for ourselves with renovating Fairy Wren Cottage: ~ Support Local Trades people. ~ Support Local Businesses. ~ Buy manufactured, produced and made in Australia where possible. ~ Use natural building materials where possible. e.g. using sustainable, salvaged or local timber. Using timber shelving instead of MDF or white melamine. ~ Make what […]

Five things you may not know about Fairy Wren Cottage. 1. The property was originally called Valley View. We changed it to Fairy Wren Cottage for a few reasons.  One reason was a new housing development went in behind our previous home and the estate was called Valley View. The name Valley View reminded us […]

The case of the missing string! Have you ever walked out into your garden, looked around and noticed the string missing from your tee pee’s? Someone has been very busy gathering materials for their nest. We have watched blackbirds untie knots and even a little female fairy wren. The birds are very sweet and enduring […]

It’s been one of those weeks where I thought that it was Thurday on Tuesday! Good to have a to do list and not rely on remembering everything when it’s like that. Slowly but surely seeds got planted, lists got finished, we ate lovely healthy meals, the hothouse got watered and the animals are all […]

Homemaking for me is freeing: As a woman there is so much stigma around the choices we make and especially homemaking. Feminism has taken on so many definitions depending on who you talk to. For me feminism is having choices and I’m grateful for the women who have come before us who have fought for […]

Grounding. Soothing. Gentle. Crafted. Mindful. All words I would describe using handmade items in our home. I become more thoughtful about the items I am using, remembering making them or wondering about the people who have made them. As they move through my hands or as I wear them there is gratitude. I hope you […]

Fairy Wren Cottage Hand Warmers. These hand warmers are great during the colder months when my hands get freezing cold but I find it too hot wearing gloves and  mittens  that can also be cumbersome and restricting. Sometimes I only make one for my injured hand since it gets colder more often when I am outside […]

From my journal: 28 February 2022. Would you like a glimpse into my walk around the garden this morning? Waking up to misty rain was a lovely change. It has been so so dry here, such a contrast to other parts of Australia that are experiencing flooding and day after day of rain. My thoughts […]

We aren’t perfect and are always trying to find an organic alternative. In the home and garden we may already use something or need somthing new. If something isn’t already organic we try and swap it for an organic option then choose something else. It all adds up. Start small. Think big picture. In the […]