What’s Mine is Yours

first home project

Unless you’ve been living under a rock (or a great big chunk of iron ore, perhaps), you’ll know that there’s a huge mining boom in Western Australia at the moment. While we won’t go into what we think about the mining industry, we will say that the boom has not been of benefit to everyone. Housing prices are skyrocketing, leaving disadvantaged people with little bidding power – in particular, refugees. But that’s where one Perth couple come in.

Jarrod McKenna and Teresa Lee have found a property where they can house three refugee families with them, offering affordable accommodation until people have established themselves in paid work and have enough funds to rent elsewhere. As it is a double block, there’s potential to build more units on the property to provide even more affordable accommodation in the future. However, despite having paid the deposit for the property, banks have rejected their mortgage applications as they are viewing the couple’s efforts as a commercial investment instead of as a personal property.

Jarrod and Teresa need $600,000 to purchase the property and do minor renovations which would mean refugee families could live there within a month. However, with just four days to go, they have only collected a little more than half of the amount they need. So they’re asking the community to be their bank. If you’d like to donate or lend funds to them, you can find out more on their website and facebook, or search #firsthomeproject on twitter. With refugee families set to benefit, this is futures trading that everyone can take part in.

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Any New Year’s resolutions on your list? We love this from @OtterBeeStitching - “be brave enough to suck at something new”.

There’s no points for perfection, but you’ll get a trophy for trying. If nothing else this year, take the leap and try something new. 

#OtterBeeStitching #Embroidery #BeBrave #TrySomethingNew #EmbroideryArt
A toast to the old you 🥂 

We wholeheartedly love this post from the brilliant @EmilyOnLife:

“2026: Reinvent, burn it down, let it go (whatever it is). Year of the Snake it up. Exercise your boundaries, exercise your body, take one teeny step every day towards a life that feels better to be in. 

But don’t you dare shit on your old self while you do it. 

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You are perpetually in the process of becoming, whether you can feel it or not, whether or not you add it to your 2026 to-do list.“
Some very wise words from @Damon.Gameau to take us into 2026 🙌🏼
⭐️ We made it!!! ⭐️
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Happy New Year, friends. To those who smashed their goals and achieved their dreams, and to those who are crawling over the finish line hoping to never speak of this year again (and everyone else in between): we made it. However you got here is enough. Be proud.

It’s been a tough year for many of us in small business, so here’s to a better year in 2026. We’re forever grateful for all your support and are jumping for joy to still be here bringing you creativity, kindness and community.
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How great are our fabulous models: @Melt.Stitches, @KatieMakesADress and @Tricky.Pockets⁠ - and also our incredible Sewing Manager @Laura_The_Maker! 🙌🏼
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Ok 2026: let’s do this. 💪🏼

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