Shabby Shack Decor

19/10/2026

TODAY & TOMORROW: ADULTING. APPARENTLY. with Shabby Shack Decor🙄

I have a list.

Not a nice list like buy paint, make pretty things, eat snacks.

A government-and-errands list.

Today we're attempting the first mission:
FNB → replacement ID.

Which apparently means I have to make myself presentable because somebody has decided the photograph they take today should follow me around for the next several years.

I was advised to wear a dark top rather than my usual white.

I was also advised that “a little makeup helps.”

MAKEUP??

Sir, around here we call that paint stains.
Sage if it's been a good day.
Bright pink if somebody forgot to close the paint lid before shaking it. 😑

Tomorrow's itinerary gets even better:
Driver's licence → Argus Laser → labels in Edenvale → whatever else I've forgotten by then.

All carefully planned to avoid traffic, taxis, queues and unnecessary interaction with civilisation.

If all goes according to plan, by tomorrow afternoon I shall have:
✔ dealt with government departments
✔ sorted responsible-adult paperwork
✔ collected useful things
✔ travelled half of Gauteng
✔ and probably rewarded myself with snacks.

If it does not go according to plan...

there will be acronyms.

Many, many acronyms.

Wish me luck. 😂

TODAY & TOMORROW: ADULTING. APPARENTLY. 🙄

I have a list.

Not a nice list like buy paint, make pretty things, eat snacks.

A government-and-errands list.

Today we're attempting the first mission:
FNB → replacement ID.

Which apparently means I have to make myself presentable because somebody has decided the photograph they take today should follow me around for the next several years.

I was advised to wear a dark top rather than my usual white.

I was also advised that “a little makeup helps.”

MAKEUP??

Sir, around here we call that paint stains.
Sage if it's been a good day.
Bright pink if somebody forgot to close the paint lid before shaking it. 😑

Tomorrow's itinerary gets even better:
Driver's licence → Argus Laser → labels in Edenvale → whatever else I've forgotten by then.

All carefully planned to avoid traffic, taxis, queues and unnecessary interaction with civilisation.

If all goes according to plan, by tomorrow afternoon I shall have:
✔ dealt with government departments
✔ sorted responsible-adult paperwork
✔ collected useful things
✔ travelled half of Gauteng
✔ and probably rewarded myself with snacks.

If it does not go according to plan...

there will be acronyms.

Many, many acronyms.

Wish me luck. 😂

13/10/2026

TUESDAY FUNNY with Shabby Shack Decor — MONDAY’S UGLY TWIN SISTER 😂
Because apparently Monday wasn’t enough. It had to come back wearing a different outfit and call itself Tuesday. 🙄😂

😂 TUESDAY FUNNY — MONDAY’S UGLY TWIN SISTER 😂

Because apparently Monday wasn’t enough. It had to come back wearing a different outfit and call itself Tuesday. 🙄😂
I was supposed to post this on Friday.
I didn’t.
Which means we can immediately add:
IGD = I Got Distracted
(Let’s blame the squirrels.) 🐿️

Welcome to the Shabby Shack South African Crafter Dictionary — because normal English simply cannot explain what happens when you put a crafter, paint, coffee, animals and an unfinished project in the same room.

PHD = Projects Half Done
They are NOT abandoned. We are waiting for inspiration. There is a difference. 😌

JFMM = Just Five More Minutes
In crafter time this could mean five minutes, 45 minutes or three hours. Please don't wait up.

DEM = Dog Eyeing Me
Those sad brown eyes saying, “Put the paintbrush down, woman. I have needs.” 🐶

DPP = Dog Paw Prints
Usually discovered approximately 0.3 seconds after the dog has walked through the paint. 🐾

CFP = Cat Fell In Paint
And now apparently we have a custom-painted cat. 🐈

HBP = Hiding — I’m Busy Painting
If you can see my car outside, no you can't.

SHCGD = Staying Home, Courier Guy Delivery
Now THAT knock at the gate I will answer. 📦😂

OSPS = Oh S**t, Paint Spillage
Self-explanatory. We don't need to discuss it.

And then we have the slightly more specific...
OSBPPS = Oh S**t, Bright Pink Paint Spillage
This can happen when somebody shakes the paint without checking whether the lid is properly closed first.
I have absolutely NO IDEA who would do something like that. 👀

Moving swiftly along...

OOCNG = Out Of Coffee, Need Gin
Danica... this one is yours. 🍷🤣

OWII = Oooohhh, What If I...
⚠️ Dangerous words.
This is how one innocent little project becomes seven new projects, a trip for supplies and absolutely nothing getting finished.

And finally...

SSSBC = Shabby Shack Sale, Bring Coupons!
Because apparently we all need more craft supplies.
Yes. Need. Don't question it. 😂

RIGHT, NOW IT'S YOUR TURN! 👇🤣

There is NO WAY we've covered everything that happens in the life of a crafter.
So I want YOUR additions to the South African Crafter Dictionary.
Pop your own abbreviation + meaning in the comments.
Make it funny.
Make it South African. 🇿🇦
Make it something that will have another crafter saying:
“OH MY WORD. THAT'S ME!” 😂

I'll collect my favourites from the comments and we'll make a Shabby Shack Crafter Dictionary — Part 2 featuring your contributions.

And please...

DON'T BEHAVE YOURSELVES.
I want the good ones. 🤣🤣🤣

Happy Tuesday — Monday's ugly twin sister, my fellow creative chaos coordinators. ❤️

May your coffee stay paint-free, your paint lids stay CLOSED, your animals stop walking through wet paint, and may your scissors be exactly where you swear you left them.

❤️ Shabby Shack Decor

Everything you need to create beauty... and one hell of a mess while doing it.

08/10/2026

There is a very special kind of optimism that comes with starting a painting project. 😂
You put the coffee on, lay everything out nicely and think, “This will only take me an hour or two.”
Three hours later there is paint on your hands, paint on your clothes, paint on something that was nowhere near the project, and you’ve just realised the brush you’ve been looking for is standing in your coffee cup.
Then comes the waiting.
You KNOW the paint needs to dry. You KNOW what happens when you fiddle with it too soon. You have personally learned this lesson approximately 417 times.
But you can already see what it’s going to look like finished.
So you touch it.
Still wet.
You wait another 36 seconds.
Touch it again.
Still wet.
And that’s when the hairdryer comes out. 😂
Now you’re standing there blasting hot air at a piece of MDF while muttering things that would make your grandmother raise an eyebrow, because apparently watching paint dry is only boring when it’s someone else’s paint. When it’s yours, it is a personal attack on your patience.
Of course, somewhere along the way you’ll knock over the water, lose the scissors that are directly in front of you, put the lid down paint-side-first, discover one tiny hair stuck beautifully in the middle of your perfectly painted surface, and accidentally dip the paintbrush into the coffee.
And there is ALWAYS that moment when the project looks absolutely dreadful.
That dangerous little stage where you stare at it and think:
Well. I’ve ruined that.
But then another coat goes on. A little distressing happens. The print or decal goes down. You stand back…
…and suddenly there she is. ❤️
Exactly what you could see in your head when you started.
So yes.
A little cussin’ helps the paint dry faster.
I have absolutely no scientific evidence to support this.
But I have spent enough time in a workshop to know that it certainly makes the waiting more entertaining. 😂🖤
Happy Wednesday from Shabby Shack Decor — where the coffee is strong, the paint is probably still wet, and we’re fairly certain somebody has seen my scissors.


fans

There is a very special kind of optimism that comes with starting a painting project. 😂
You put the coffee on, lay everything out nicely and think, “This will only take me an hour or two.”
Three hours later there is paint on your hands, paint on your clothes, paint on something that was nowhere near the project, and you’ve just realised the brush you’ve been looking for is standing in your coffee cup.
Then comes the waiting.
You KNOW the paint needs to dry. You KNOW what happens when you fiddle with it too soon. You have personally learned this lesson approximately 417 times.
But you can already see what it’s going to look like finished.
So you touch it.
Still wet.
You wait another 36 seconds.
Touch it again.
Still wet.
And that’s when the hairdryer comes out. 😂
Now you’re standing there blasting hot air at a piece of MDF while muttering things that would make your grandmother raise an eyebrow, because apparently watching paint dry is only boring when it’s someone else’s paint. When it’s yours, it is a personal attack on your patience.
Of course, somewhere along the way you’ll knock over the water, lose the scissors that are directly in front of you, put the lid down paint-side-first, discover one tiny hair stuck beautifully in the middle of your perfectly painted surface, and accidentally dip the paintbrush into the coffee.
And there is ALWAYS that moment when the project looks absolutely dreadful.
That dangerous little stage where you stare at it and think:
Well. I’ve ruined that.
But then another coat goes on. A little distressing happens. The print or decal goes down. You stand back…
…and suddenly there she is. ❤️
Exactly what you could see in your head when you started.
So yes.
A little cussin’ helps the paint dry faster.
I have absolutely no scientific evidence to support this.
But I have spent enough time in a workshop to know that it certainly makes the waiting more entertaining. 😂🖤
Happy Wednesday from Shabby Shack Decor — where the coffee is strong, the paint is probably still wet, and we’re fairly certain somebody has seen my scissors.

01/10/2026

October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month.

And behind all the pink ribbons are real people.

There are those who are fighting it right now.
Those waiting for results.
Those sitting beside hospital beds and holding hands in waiting rooms.
Those making meals, sending messages, driving to appointments and quietly trying to keep everything else going.

There are the survivors who know exactly what those words “you have cancer” feel like.

And then there are those we have lost.

The mothers, daughters, sisters, wives, friends and loved ones who didn't get to ring the bell at the end — but whose names, stories and places in our lives remain.

So I didn't want to make just another Breast Cancer Awareness poster.

I wanted to make something that could become something.

Something you could decoupage onto a memory box.
A tray. A journal. A little cupboard. A canvas.
Something you could make for a friend going through treatment, for someone supporting a loved one, or in memory of someone who is no longer here.

And these words just felt right:

Vir die dae wat jy sterk moet wees,
en die dae wat jy net moet wees.

Hoop • Moed • Genade

And in English:

For the days you need to be strong,
and the days you just need to be.

Hope • Courage • Grace

Both A4 designs are FREE DOWNLOADABLE PRINTS from Shabby Shack Decor for Breast Cancer Awareness Month.

There is no catch and nothing to buy.

Download them. Print them. Make something beautiful.

For the fighters.
For the hands that hold theirs.
For the survivors.
And for those who live on in our memories.

This one is from us, with love. 🩷

Shabby Shack Decor


fans

30/09/2026

🌧️ TODAY’S SHABBY SHACK WEATHER WARNING 🌧️
Please be careful on the roads today.
The roads are wet.
Visibility is poor.
And apparently cars have a terrible tendency to aquaplane directly into craft shops.
Should this happen to you, remain calm.
Park safely.
Go inside.
Buy the paint.
Buy the decoupage paper.
Buy the waterslides.
You’ve already been through enough. 😂
Shabby Shack Decor accepts no responsibility for vehicles mysteriously turning into craft shops during bad weather.
Drive safe, julle. 🖤


fans

🌧️ TODAY’S SHABBY SHACK WEATHER WARNING 🌧️
Please be careful on the roads today.
The roads are wet.
Visibility is poor.
And apparently cars have a terrible tendency to aquaplane directly into craft shops.
Should this happen to you, remain calm.
Park safely.
Go inside.
Buy the paint.
Buy the decoupage paper.
Buy the waterslides.
You’ve already been through enough. 😂
Shabby Shack Decor accepts no responsibility for vehicles mysteriously turning into craft shops during bad weather.
Drive safe, julle. 🖤

17/09/2026

Ietsie nuut van Shabby Shack Decor

fans

09/08/2026

Happy Women’s Day to all the incredible women here. 🖤

Just in case nobody has told you today…

I see you.

I see how hard you work.
I see how much you carry.
I see how much you give to everyone around you.
I see the things you quietly do that nobody applauds.

And I see how, even on the days when you’re tired, overwhelmed and would quite happily hide under a blanket and tell the world to bu**er off for a while… you somehow get up and keep going. 😂

So today I just want to remind you:

You are freaking awesome. 🖤

I’ve left a little Women’s Day gift for you over on Shabby Shack Decor.

There’s nothing to buy.
No competition to enter.
Nobody to tag.
Nothing you have to do in return.

It’s simply something beautiful I made for you.

Go over to the Women’s Day post on Shabby Shack Decor and it’s yours.

Print it. Make something with it. Frame it. Save it. Share it with your friends. Print another one for somebody you love.

Or keep it entirely for yourself.

No strings attached.

Because sometimes it’s rather lovely to receive something without owing anybody anything in return.

Today, this one is simply for you. 🖤

Happy Women’s Day, you incredible bunch of women.

Shabby Shack Decor

01/07/2026

🔥 SHOP BEAUTIFUL LAST OF THE KAROO SJIEK VAULT SALE 🔥

This is your chance to stock up on genuine Karoo Sjiek decoupage papers at special clearance prices before many of these designs are retired forever as we are limiting our range going forward.

Over 500 sheets available across retired designs.
Perfect for:
🌸 Furniture Upcycling
🌸 Decoupage Projects
🌸 Gift Making
🌸 Home Décor
🌸 Craft Workshops

Available Sizes:
✨ A2 – R77.00
✨ A3 – R45.50
✨ A4 – R38.50
✨ A5 – R17.50

Vintage • Karoo • Floral • Farmhouse • Whimsical

📍 Collection in Benoni
📦 Courier/pudo Available Nationwide

🌿 HOW TO ORDER 🌿

WhatsApp Neolien on 082 551 5884 with:

• Design Code (e.g. KS-FP001)
• Size Required
• Quantity Required

Example:

Design Code: KS-FP001
Size: A2
Quantity Required: 1

⚠️ IMPORTANT

• Stock is limited and available on a first come, first served basis.
• Orders are only secured once availability has been confirmed and payment has been received.
• Stock is allocated in the order that confirmed orders and payments are received.
• Available quantities may change without notice as orders are processed.
• Please use the design code and size when ordering.
• Available only while stocks last.
• No reprints will be done for sold-out designs.
• Many of these designs will be permanently discontinued.

The available designs will be posted on social media as our stock count is done.

21/05/2026

After much thought, creativity, dreaming and planning, we are entering a beautiful new chapter. 🤍
Over the next little while, Karoo Sjiek and A Word Or Two will slowly be evolving and moving into one creative home:
Shabby Shack Decor.
This new space will bring together everything I love most —
•Vintage-inspired décor • creative workshops • handmade living • rustic charm • decoupage • creating beauty from old things.
Simplifying, evolving…
Once it is all up and ready (which is a journey on its own) we will inform you of our new website and social media.
Thank you for being part of this journey with me. I cannot wait to share what’s coming next. ✨

10/05/2026

Happy Mother's Day to all the incredible women who nurture, protect, and love—whether they hold little hands, raise furry babies, or open their homes to those in need.