House tour of a rustic C19th barn conversion with colourful vintage collections

June 20, 2021.Reading time 9 minutes.

Epic home tour of a stunning 19th Century swing-beam agricultural barn, packed full of rustic features and vintage collections, which was rescued and renovated by April and Andy Hershberger…

Excited to share my Christmas magazine articles and thrifty blog posts

November 8, 2020.Reading time 8 minutes.

It’s been a while since I shared any of my article writing updates with you so I thought I’d pop on a few photos so you can see what I’ve been up to, including Reclaim magazine (the Christmas issue!!) a project for Recycle Week and All Things Christmas!

I’ve been nominated for a Best Creative Skill Blog Award – please vote for me!

August 8, 2020.Reading time 7 minutes.

Eeeee it’s so exciting! After many years of admiring the work of other Interior Blog Award winners – and even writing about some of their homes for Reclaim magazine – I’ve finally been nominated! Please can you help me get through to the shortlist by voting for me??

Colourful interior inspiration from a retro + boho Berlin apartment

April 25, 2020.Reading time 7 minutes.

Get inspiration for a happy, vibrant, mid-century interior from this apartment tour of interior designer & artist Melanie Mahrhold’s retro, boho home…

Why you should add a vintage rocking horse to your period interior

March 7, 2020.Reading time 3 minutes.

Whether or not you have kids, and whether or not you have a period home, a vintage rocking horse would make a great addition to your interior. I’ve done my research and shared my own experiences, so here’s why you might want to invest in a classic retro rocker…

Life lately – My (international!) interiors articles & DIY projects

September 14, 2019.Reading time 7 minutes.

It’s been a busy couple of months and I’ve been lucky enough to write a couple of interiors feature for issue 42 and issue 43 of Reclaim magazine. Plus, I’ve also written some blog post elsewhere around the internet so here are the links if you want to check them out..!

How to find a genuine Ercol Design Icon (via Reclaim magazine!)

September 6, 2019.Reading time 8 minutes.

For this month’s Reclaim magazine I wrote about Ercol for the mid-century modern Design Icon column. And my research led me to some surprising results…

Be kind and go caravaning at the beach: My news this summer

August 7, 2019.Reading time 9 minutes.

It’s been a really exciting couple of months at Cassiefairy HQ and I’ve been lucky enough to be featured in a few new publications woo! It’s been a while since I updated you with my latest news (in fact, I haven’t shared anything since May!) so I thought I’d gather together some of the projects I’ve been working on recently for you to check out today…

My Rand McNally Lunar Globe & the 50th Anniversary of the moon landing

July 20, 2019.Reading time 10 minutes.

Today is the 50th Anniversary of the Apollo 11 moon landing – can you believe that fifty years have passed since that momentous occasion?? To celebrate I’m sharing some photos of my vintage Rand McNally lunar globe that featured in this month’s Reclaim Magazine…

I’ve made the top 30 home decor blogs woo! Plus my news in May…

May 12, 2019.Reading time 5 minutes.

I’ve had some exciting news this month so I thought I’d write a quick post to share all with you..!

My Easter project round-ups & some exciting news for April

April 19, 2019.Reading time 5 minutes.

A round-up of crafty DIY Easter decor projects and tasty treats to bake, as well as plenty of interior design inspiration…

My interiors features & heritage craft supplement in Reclaim magazine

March 15, 2019.Reading time 3 minutes.

Have you got your hands on the latest issue of Reclaim magazine yet? It comes with a fantastic free Heritage Craft supplement and is packed full of interior design inspiration for a reclaimed home that’s as unique as you are.

Amazing news – I won the ‘Most Creative Art & Craft Blog’ award 2019!

March 13, 2019.Reading time 2 minutes.

I can’t tell you how excited I am to share the news that Cassiefairy.com won the international award for Most Creative Art & Craft Blog 2019!
It’s all down to YOUR votes and I couldn’t have done it without you – thank you SO much for supporting me!

Mid-century modern decor inspiration: Robin Day’s Leo ‘Bond’ Chair

February 22, 2019.Reading time 3 minutes.

If this chair feels familiar to you, you may have seen it somewhere before. In a film perhaps? Was a certain secret agent sitting in it with a glass of martini (shaken, not stirred) in his hand? Read on to find out more about the iconic Leo Chair by Robin Day…

My recent news & some epic award nominations in February!

February 15, 2019.Reading time 5 minutes.

In case you’ve been wondering what I’ve been up to so far in 2019, I thought I’d share my recent news with you including my latest articles and an unexpected accolade..!

Some exciting news to start the new year – my recent features & achievements!

January 9, 2019.Reading time 4 minutes.

The last month of 2018 was super exciting for me and this is the first chance I’ve had to share some photos of my recent magazine features, articles, awards and online interviews with you 🙂

I’ve made the finals for the Most Creative Art & Craft Blog Award – please vote for me!

January 4, 2019.Reading time 2 minutes.

Amazing news for 2019 – I’ve made the finals for the Most Creative Art & Craft Blog Award – please could you spare a second to vote for me?!

How to style a retro cocktail cabinet for your New Year’s Eve party

December 29, 2018.Reading time 4 minutes.

If you’re planning a party for New Year’s Eve, why not make it a retro one? Step back in time to the 70s and recreate the cocktail cabinet that all mid-century housewives wished they had. We’ve styled up this G Plan Fresco cabinet with vintage barware and snacks so here’s how you can do the same…

How to spot genuine vintage baubles – my festive article in Reclaim magazine

November 29, 2018.Reading time 2 minutes.

I’m feeling super-festive right now and it’s because the Christmas issue of Reclaim magazine is out now! And my Design Icon article this month is vintage baubles, including how to spot the genuine article…

Video tutorial: How to DIY a reusable Christmas tree advent calendar

November 19, 2018.Reading time 1 minute.

Fancy making an advent calendar that you can reuse to help you countdown to Christmas every year? Check out my a step-by-step video tutorial to DIY your own refillable festive calendar…

The history of Stag furniture + Badger Cottage interiors feature

November 1, 2018.Reading time 4 minutes.

If you love iconic mid-century design as much as I do, this month’s Reclaim magazine is for you! My Design Icon feature is all about Stag furniture and, in particular, John and Sylvia Reid’s designs. I also got the chance to visit the beautiful Badger Cottage to write an interiors feature so it’s well worth a read…

Settle into the season with The Suffolk Resident

October 10, 2018.Reading time 1 minute.

What do autumn interiors mean to you? It’s all about the texture people! I’ve shared my tips along with some amazing bloggers including Stacey from endoftherow.co.uk, Emily from asliceofsuffolk.com, Hannah from logburnersandlaughs.co.uk and instagrammers Emma @fromacountrycottage and Sarah @slowlivinginsuffolk. Their tips and photos are really inspirational and it make me feel so cosy just reading the article!

Mid-century modern clocks – my article in Reclaim Magazine!

October 3, 2018.Reading time 4 minutes.

I love a good retro clock. Along with lamps, they’re one of the few household items that I seem to collect. I just can’t resist an interesting clock face, an iconic number style (can I refer to it as a typeface or font when talking about numbers?) or a fun frame. So it’s no wonder that I decided to write about mid-century clocks for my latest Design Icon feature in Reclaim magazine.

My Picquot Ware article is in Reclaim magazine!

September 6, 2018.Reading time 2 minutes.

They always say ‘write what you know’ don’t they? So, I couldn’t ignore my instinct to talk about this British brand with as many people as possible. I sat at my laptop and blurted out all the knowledge I’d gained over the years and then carefully spent many hours refining my excited ramblings. The piece has been published in Issue 30 and it’s on sale now! I just hope Reclaim’s readers enjoy the piece as much as I enjoyed writing it!

I’m a finalist in the Cruelty-Free Blogger Awards

August 6, 2018.Reading time 1 minute.

Amazing news! I was shocked and delighted to find out that I’ve been shortlisted in the Cruelty-Free Blogger Awards 2018! I discovered the news on Twitter and have been shouting it from the roof tops ever since! Now I need your help to win, so please vote for me!

My recipe is in the Camping Cookbook + more features this month

May 30, 2018.Reading time 5 minutes.

I’m excited to show you some of the features I’ve had published this month, plus there’s a free camping cookbook to download (with my recipe included, woo!

How to make an upcycled bar cart for summer garden parties

May 24, 2018.Reading time 4 minutes.

If you’re planning to entertain in your garden this summer, why not upcycle an old trolley into a handy bar cart or BBQ caddy – here’s how I created my garden trolley…

My cat is more famous than me..!

May 6, 2018.Reading time 6 minutes.

My two little bundles of fluff, Cookie and Muffin, have got themselves quite a profile these days. Not only are they the real stars of my blog (let’s be honest) but they’re actually getting more features than I am these days – here are some of the publications that have made them famous…

My herb garden pesto recipe is in the ‘Grow Your Own Meal’ e-book

April 22, 2018.Reading time 1 minute.

Amazing news! My herb garden pesto recipe has been chosen as one of the top 10 allotment recipes to be included in the Walton’s Grow Your Own Meal e-book!

My features this month – Reloved, Safestore & HandyMano Blog

April 13, 2018.Reading time 4 minutes.

It’s been a busy month here at Cassiefairy HQ so I wanted to share my latest articles with you. Plus I’m sharing the details of a fab competition to celebrate World Stationary Day with the Old English Company so read on to find out how to enter…

DIY Patterned bathroom cabinet upcycle

April 10, 2018.Reading time 4 minutes.

If you want to add a splash of colour and burst of pattern to your bathroom, my upcycled bathroom cabinet project is so easy to make. You can coordinate the design with your existing tiles or create an eye-catching pattern to funk up a plain white suite…

My interview in The Suffolk Resident magazine!

March 16, 2018.Reading time 2 minutes.

I’m so excited to share my latest feature with you today – I’ve been interviewed for The Suffolk Resident magazine’s ‘Final Word’ column and I’m really chuffed! Here’s the feature in full…

How to make mid-century modern bedside tables from an old chest of drawers

February 14, 2018.Reading time 4 minutes.

My minimalist bedside tables started life as a chest of drawers and a vintage planter. But with a bit of careful re-jigging, I managed to turn them into a matching pair of mid-century style bedside cabinets…

My blog is in the Top 30 DIY Blogs in the UK! + Valentine’s Day decor

February 11, 2018.Reading time 2 minutes.

FANTASTIC NEWS! I’ve just found out that My Thrifty Life is one of the Top 30 DIY blogs in the UK and I really can’t believe my eyes..!

I’ve made the list of Top 100 Interior Design Bloggers! + some new year features

January 28, 2018.Reading time 4 minutes.

How’s your January been? I’ve had a busy month so I thought I’d share some of my away-from-the-blog projects with you, including an article I wrote for Reloved magazine, and an interior design accolade..!

Happy New Year everyone!

January 1, 2018.Reading time less than 1 minute.

Here’s to a fantastic 2018 for all!

How to decorate cocktail glasses for a party

December 31, 2017.Reading time 2 minutes.

Great news – my project on prettifying glassware for New Year’s Eve was published in Reloved magazine this month! Check out Issue 50 for the step-by-step guide to creating these decorated cocktail glasses.

A couple more festive features…

December 30, 2017.Reading time 2 minutes.

I know it was only a week ago that I shared some of my festive features from around the web, but I’ve already had the great news that a couple more of my articles have been published too! I thought you might be interested to read them so here’s where I’ve popped up over the […]

My festive features – some of my contributions from around the web this month

December 24, 2017.Reading time 2 minutes.

I’ve got some great news to share with you today – I’ve been featured in a few festive articles! I thought you might be interested to read them, as I know you all love a good interior design or Christmas-related article!

I’m a judge in the “Tiling for a Good Cause” competition – and you can vote for your favourite!

December 2, 2017.Reading time 2 minutes.

Tile Trader’s “Tiling for a Good Cause” campaign aims to give one deserving facility a tiling transformation worth up to £500, and they’ve asked me to be an expert judge! Nominations have been received from community groups across the UK including London, Glasgow and Coleraine and now I’d like to urge everyone to cast their […]

DIY furniture makeover: How to give vintage kitchen chairs a new lease of life

November 20, 2017.Reading time 3 minutes.

Since moving into my home and starting to renovate room-by-room, I’ve realise just how expensive furniture can be. I’ve been especially surprised by the cost of chairs and have therefore only had an ancient folding chair (that was my desk chair as a teen) to sit on at my kitchen table since we moved. I […]

Nominations open for Tile Trader’s “Tiling for a Good Cause” campaign – and I’m a judge!!

November 2, 2017.Reading time 3 minutes.

I thought I’d share with you the amazing news that I’ve been invited to be a judge for the “Tiling for a Good Cause” charitable initiative. I’m so excited! After winning the award for Best Homes & Interiors Blogger earlier this year, I was so delighted when Tile Trader got in touch again to see […]

How to DIY a light-up Hollywood-style mirror

October 19, 2017.Reading time 3 minutes.

I’ve made my own Hollywood mirror – well, if you can’t feel like a star in your own home, when can you, eh?! It took a bit of planning to get the right size of fairy light bulbs for the mirror frame, and to the find the correct diameter drill bit to cut out the […]

Vote for my blog & you could win £100 gift voucher!

October 17, 2017.Reading time 2 minutes.

Fantastic news! I’ve been shortlisted in the DotComGiftShop Blog Awards 2017! Please could you spare a minute to vote for me in the “Best Interior Design Blog” category?? The voting page is here and when you submit your vote, you’ll automatically be entered to win a £100 voucher to spend on anything you like at […]

My latest interior design features PLUS I’m in an eBook!

September 3, 2017.Reading time 3 minutes.

I’m super excited to let you know that I’ve contributed to an ebook and, after a few months in the making, it has finally launched! This completely FREE ebook is called Niix Tricks for Busy Women and it’s a comprehensive guide of fun, clever hacks to help busy women fit more time into their daily routine.

Why my blog isn’t perfect

August 18, 2017.Reading time 7 minutes.

After blogging for 10+ years, I’ve made some very definite decisions on how I want to run my ‘little corner of the world wide web’. When I look back over the years, I sometimes cringe at the posts I wrote, the photos I took and the design of my site, but it was all a […]

Wooo I’ve been long-listed in the Interior Blog Awards!

August 9, 2017.Reading time 3 minutes.

Earlier this month I got the fantastic news that someone (I’ve no idea who – let me know if it was you so that I can thank you!) nominated my thrifty little blog for an Amara Interior Blog Award. Just knowing that someone out there was kind enough to put my name down for an […]

Why I blog (and why you should too!)

August 2, 2017.Reading time 12 minutes.

Whether you’ve been reading my blog for a while or are you’re totally new to my website, you may be interested to know why I write a blog post almost every day. I’ve been blogging for over 10 years now, and am still loving every minute. It’s my diary, my social life, my photo album, […]

A little bit of press coverage for Cassiefairy.com

July 9, 2017.Reading time 3 minutes.

Hurrah it’s been a busy month here at Cassiefairy HQ because my thrifty little blog has popped up in a few unexpected places. I thought I’d gather together some snapshots of my recent press coverage in case you missed it – as you can probably tell, I’m REALLY chuffed!So in June, I was Home Style […]

My Lloyd Loom chair makeover is in Reloved magazine!

May 5, 2017.Reading time 3 minutes.

More fabulous news from Cassiefairy HQ, my latest makeover project has just been featured in Reloved magazine. I hoped that the project would be used when I sent over the photographs of my Lloyd Loom chairs and was absolutely delighted when I spotted a little pic of them on the front page of the magazine! I […]

My design interview with WhatHouse?

April 28, 2017.Reading time 2 minutes.

Oooh I have some exciting news – over the Easter holidays my interview with WhatHouse? was published and I’m so pleased to be able to share it with you today. Here’s the link to the article if you fancy having a read: it’s a design Q&A all about thrifty interiors so I thought you might like to […]

Lint roller printing – and my April showers scarf is in Reloved Magazine!

April 21, 2017.Reading time 2 minutes.

So excited to share with you my latest project for Reloved because my DIY infinity scarf was chosen to be photographed on a model for the magazine! Pick up a copy of the magazine this week to see my step-by-step guide to fabric printing using a lint roller.It’s a doubly-thrifty project because I’m upcycling an old tablecloth and […]

Suffolk’s “social media stars” – and I’m on the list!

March 16, 2017.Reading time 3 minutes.

I couldn’t believe my eyes when a friend tweeted me recently to tell me that I was in the local press. I had no idea! Within a couple of minutes I was on the newspaper’s website and was reading through the article. Thankfully it was for good reasons – I’d been included in a list […]

AMAZING news – my blog won the award for Best Homes & Interiors Blog 2017

March 11, 2017.Reading time 3 minutes.

I’m SO excited to tell you the wonderful news that my thrifty little lifestyle blog has just been announced as the winner of the Best Homes and Interiors Blogger Award 2017!! I still can’t really believe it and I’m grinning like the cheshire cat right now!The news has just been shared by the award sponsor […]

I’m a finalist for the Best Homes & Interiors Blogger Award

February 27, 2017.Reading time 2 minutes.

It’s been a really exciting weekend here at Cassiefairy HQ because I’ve been shortlisted for an award! I’ve been chosen along with 19 other fabulous interiors blogs (many of which I read myself!) to be put forward for the Tile Trader Best Homes and Interiors Blogger Award and I’d love it if you could vote for me […]

My “Take 10” interview in Reloved magazine

February 13, 2017.Reading time 1 minute.

Hi all, how has your week been? Today I thought I’d quickly shared my ‘Take 10’ interview about upcycling and thriftiness from Reloved magazine in case you didn’t get a chance to pick up a copy of Issue 38 last month. My project on restoring leather was also in the January issue, with the aim […]

I’ve been featured in Papercrafter magazine!

February 3, 2017.Reading time 1 minute.

Today I’ve got some really exciting news to share – I’ve been featured in Papercrafter magazine! A whole two-page spread has been dedicated to my tips, ideas and projects and I couldn’t be happier! I’ve taken some photos of the feature so that you can see what it looks like and maybe have a read of […]

How to restore leather furniture + I’m in issue 38 of Reloved magazine!

January 12, 2017.Reading time 4 minutes.

I have some wonderful news to kick start the new year – I’m in Reloved magazine this month! My “How to restore a leather chair” project has been given a full four-page spread in the magazine AND it even made the front cover; look carefully and you can see it in the thumbnail images at the […]

Wahey! My recycled fabric wreath project is featured in Oxfam newspaper!

December 5, 2016.Reading time 2 minutes.

I had a lovely surprise this week when I flicked through the winter issue of Oxfam newspaper: my festive wreath project has been featured in the publication! Of course, Oxfam had been in touch earlier this year to ask permission to use my content and, seeing as I’d created it for the Oxfam Fashion blog in the […]

Wooo I’ve been featured in Sew Style magazine!

November 23, 2016.Reading time 1 minute.

Great news! I’ve been featured in the current issue of Sew Style magazine! When one of the writers from this fantastic magazine got in touch back in the summer I was really excited. I happily answered all her interview questions and even emailed over a couple of photos from my blog, just in case! Thankfully, the […]

My summer so far…

August 17, 2016.Reading time 6 minutes.

It’s only half way through the school holidays and I’ve already been having a wonderful summer break. I’ve been on a few day trips, I’ve visited a handful of places and got a few of my “to-do’s” done. If you’re wondering what I’ve been up to, here’s the goss…I went to the seaside. During the very […]

I’ve been nominated in the Interior Blog Awards 2016!

August 15, 2016.Reading time 8 minutes.

I was SO chuffed when I heard that I’d been nominated as best DIY & Craft Blog in the Amara Interior Blog Awards 2016! I can’t believe that my lovely readers took the time to nominate me for one of the most prestigious awards in the country – I hope that this means you’ve been enjoying my crafts and […]

I’m Cut Out + Keep’s Crafty Superstar!

June 30, 2016.Reading time 3 minutes.

Did you spot this news on my Twitter feed earlier this week? I’ve been tweeting and instagraming all week long because I’m just SO excited to be featured on one of my favourite sites. When Cut Out + Keep got in touch to invite me to be their Crafty Superstar, I was literally bouncing around […]

My Little Vintage Caravan – My storage article in Caravan Magazine

June 20, 2016.Reading time 3 minutes.

Wooo my little vintage caravan has made it into the June issue of Caravan Magazine. My little blue Sprite is becoming quite the celebrity in the touring world! I’m excited to share the article with you today and show off my little renovation project again.So here it is: a double-page spread! In the article I discuss the progress of my caravan […]

UK Blog Awards 2016 Most Innovative Blog – And the winner is…

April 30, 2016.Reading time 7 minutes.

For the first time in almost 10 years of blogging I don’t know what to write. I finally understand what people mean when they say they are speechless – but I am wordless. I’ve never sat in front of a blank page and not known what to write. But today is different. Today I should […]

I’ve been shortlisted for ‘Most Innovative’ blog in the UK Blog Awards!

January 30, 2016.Reading time 1 minute.

I still can’t believe it. I have actually been shortlisted in the UK Blog Awards. And for the ‘Most Innovative’ blog category. There are no words to describe how I’m feeling right now. Thrilled, delighted, amazed and shocked just doesn’t do it justice. Thank you, thank you, THANK YOU for voting for me. You did […]

An exciting start to 2016 – I’ve been nominated for a UK Blog Award!

January 7, 2016.Reading time 3 minutes.

I had some fantastic news over the Christmas break. My blog, my simple little thrifty lifestyle blog, had been nominated for the UK Blog Awards 2016. I don’t know who put my blog forward for an award or even whether more than just one person popped my name into the ‘hat’ but to whoever did […]

My little vintage caravan – I’ve been featured in Caravan Magazine!

October 2, 2015.Reading time 8 minutes.

Did you know it’s World Smile Day today? I can’t think of a nicer event! It’s got me thinking about the things that make me smile and, aside from my family and friends of course, this includes my caravan, sunny days and beautiful flowers. So I’ve nipped out to my caravan to take some photos of my latest projects […]

Red Ted celebrates winning the Hillarys Craft Competition 2015!

July 8, 2015.Reading time 5 minutes.

Yesterday, I had some amazing news. The kind that shocks you so much – in a good way – that you can’t speak and simply point to your email when your husband asks “what’s happened?!”. You watch his expression as he reads through the message, looking to spot the moment when he too realises, and […]

My little vintage caravan – Caravan Magazine & soft furnishings

April 16, 2015.Reading time 6 minutes.

After sharing photos of Sian’s beautiful Daisy caravan with you yesterday (and the fabulous vintage party package giveaway – check it out here!) I felt a strong urge to hang out in my own caravan and enjoy the lovely weather.So when I finished work yesterday, I took brewed up a cuppa and took myself outside […]