The blogging is going to be brief for the next week or so. I'm off to Newcastle on Wednesday for the third attempt at mum getting through the operating theatre doors...fingers crossed that all goes to plan this time. 
I think I'm more than a bit distracted at the moment. I walked straight past John Travolta in the lobby of the hotel I was staying in on Thursday night. Didn't have a clue until the guy who got in the lift with me said he'd just shook his hand. Oh well.
I was doing a bit of blog cruising yesterday, while I was supposed to be burying my head in a work report (and not a book - my usual weekend practice!), when I came across this site...and some very clever ideas that you probably could try at home if you wanted! Half a globe used as a bowl...with the best country front and centre of course...

massed plates on a bathroom wall...

a Christmas centrepiece....I've done this before

lace trim on old tins...either real or stencilled

Now, I just need to find some time!

And I'm sorry, but there's an online shop as well...I have my eye on this...

The top ten is scheduled for Wednesday as usual, but I'm not sure what the week will hold after that. So, I'll see you when I see you. Take care : )
all images found on curious sofa

It was another mighty reading month here in the townhouse...ten books, making my year to date total 63! Pretty impressive even if I do say so myself :-)
Here are the October covers...

And in order of reading:

The Secret Life of Bees by Sue Monk Kidd (fiction)

A Cup of Light by Nicole Mones (fiction)

Water for Elephants by Sara Gruen (fiction)

Good to a Fault by Marina Endicott (fiction)

The Thoughtful Dresser by Linda Grant (non-fiction/memoir)

Odd One Out by Monica McInerney (fiction)

Waiting Room by Gabrielle Carey (memoir)

The Blackwater Lightship by Colm Toibin (fiction)

The Seven Sisters by Margaret Drabble (fiction)

Still Alice by Lisa Genova (fiction)

As you can see, it was heavy on the fiction this month, but my goodness there were some powerful reads...I think that books find you, in fact I'm convinced of it, and this month two of the books dealt with dementia (Still Alice and Waiting Room), and one with ageing (Water for Elephants). I'm sure these books found their way to me to help me understand and deal with my dad's dementia diagnosis. Still Alice was especially moving, and also very instructive. The author is a neuroscientist, or was...she's now a writer...which I think is why the book is so believable, and such a sympathetic portrayal of early onset Alzheimers. She has a blog here. This book was my favourite this month, closely followed by A Cup of Light (the author's previous book The Last Chinese Chef was also wonderful) and The Blackwater Lightship. Odd One Out was a bit of fluff and I really couldn't say to you rush out and read it (to be honest I can't even remember what it was about although it was pleasant enough at the time), but all the others...yes. They weren't all easy reads but they were worthwhile. Most definitely.

I hope your reading is going well. 10 books in the 10th month...I'll be trying for 11 in November :-)

Morning all. I just had an email from a lovely woman I met on Shannon Fricke's Styling workshop last month. Nic was sitting next to me and we got to talking...and then more talking with Kerri with an 'i'...(because is there such a thing as too much gas bagging? I think not). And we kept in touch as like minded people do.  Nic didn't have a blog. But she does now! 

She's blaming Kerri and me for her entry into bloggy world, and I'm happy to be blamed. Bet Kerri is too. Thank goodness Nic's not a Kerrie with an 'ie' or there'd be mass confusion.

Nic's a colour girl like me, and lucky for me she's doing the same Cert IV course I am, so I'll be making a nuisance of myself asking for advice. These are some pics from her very first blog post...

How about you pop over, see the rest and make her welcome...that'd be lovely :)
Have a terrific weekend everyone. I'm very hopeful that I'll be doing a great deal of not a lot!

If it's good enough for Colin...it's good enough for me! Gratuitous Colin shot coming right up...no need for a thank you...it was absolutely no trouble :)

Boy that was a good movie. You might want to stop reading now...Colin is probably as good as it gets :)
But if you're brave, or just have nothing better to do...a little while ago now I was given this award...

by two very lovely bloggy people and their very stylish blogs...'Cross the Pond and I used to be snow white but I drifted...thank you possums. I have had this once before from Sara Louise...and once again, I'm chuffed! As you would be. That time I told you about my most embarrassing moment...relive it here if you must..or better still go and visit those lovely grantees :)
Then, as you do, I got to thinking about the definition of stylish...dictionaries mostly refer to stylish being about conforming to the modern fashion...which I most definitely do not :)
So I went looking for quotes...and this one grabbed me right down to my ever so stylish Haviana thongs (flip flops for the northern hemisphere)...well it's really hot here and I'm on holidays so don't judge me ok :)

''Style is knowing who you are, what you want to say and not giving a damn.'' Gore Vidal

and this one too...

“Create your own visual style... let it be unique for yourself and yet identifiable for others.” Orson Welles

Oh Orson...you are so right. And, apart from the "not giving a damn" bit (because I do believe that you need to take others into consideration, most of the time) I'm with Gore as well. 
You know how it goes...I'm meant to tell you 7 things about me but what more is there to tell that is publishable I wonder!!
But I'll give it a crack...

1.    My first love was a boy called Kenneth Brown. He sang like an angel to me over the back fence when we were only five...mostly the song was "take me back to the black hills, the black hills of Dakota, to the beautiful Indian country that I love" (why that song I'll never now seeing we lived in a city in Australia!) Very sadly he died one Christmas Eve when he was 19, electrocuted putting up the Christmas lights. I still think about that.
2.   I am an excellent speller. Even before spell check.
3.   I know it's terribly unfashionable...unstylish even (gasp) but I have lots of buddhas in and around my house...15 at last count...they make me feel tranquil when I remember to look at them. I'll show them all to you one day. Bet you can't wait for that. They must have the right face or they don't make it home with me:) My most precious one (not in terms of cost) I bought at Buddha's birthplace in Nepal.

4.   On a related note, I have an as yet unrealised plan to meditate every day. I may be on my way to looking like a jolly buddha but that's as far as my buddhist leanings go at the moment I'm afraid.

5.   I am not, never have been, never will be...a minimalist. You knew that already didn't you? And I have a real love of 'ethnic' things.

...and I'm mad for a bit of whimsy...meet Mildred (and ignore the slayer in the corner)

6.   I try very hard not to be a hater but I have two pet hates: use of the word 'hero' in the same breath as sporting (these people are not heroes, sorry) and misuse of the word tragedy in the same way. Someone breaking their finger, toe, arm, or having a cold and not being able to play for Australia is not a tragedy. Glad I got that off my chest. Thank goodness yesterday was Australia Day...I'd be deported if I'd said it then :)

7.   I like the cold better than I like the heat despite growing up not too far from a beach and harbouring a desire to go and live on the north coast of NSW. I will need air conditioning and a pool thank you very much. 
8.   And one extra thing (told you I wasn't a minimalist)...I have dubbed 2011 The Year of Living Frugally...in a mad attempt to reduce my mortgage. This of course doesn't apply to books, learning or travel :)

Crumbs you're good if you've got this far. I would like to pass this on to a couple of blogsters who make me laugh...because as the sidebar blurb says...I do love to laugh...either through their posts, their comments or both. Now that's stylish.

Fun and VJs

Make Mine Mid Century

My Villa Life

Play if you feel so inclined, but no probs if you don't :)
all photos by me...except Colin...oh to get that close!

As I went to bed last night with images of the devastating floods in Queensland searing my brain I wondered whether I should 'unschedule' this post.  But sometimes we need a distraction don't we? This is mine...
I may have been living under a rock, but I only became aware of this book

(which is apparently a worldwide best seller) and this associated blog (which apparently has won blog of the year) yesterday through reading an article on The Happiness Project blog...oh my, the ways that blog surfing can eat into your time...when you're not watching the flood coverage...but hey, I'm on holiday :)
The Happiness Project led me to this TED talk (below) and I was completely and utterly mesmerised for the 17 or so minutes it took to watch the author Neil Pasricha talk about his take on 'awesome'. I like his philosophy. It's simple. We're not talking rocket science here (that would be boring anyway). But it's simple because it's about simple pleasures, and appreciating them...which is sometimes not so simple. Not when we're in pain, or sad or weighed down by grief. Or dealing with a force of nature. 
But as Pasricha says, how awesome is it to crawl into clean sheets, hit a string of green lights on the way home, have a supermarket checkout line open and you get to be the first one through...people in parts of Queensland would certainly think those pleasures were awesome right about now I suspect.
Do take the time to view this if you can. I bet it'll put a smile on your dial :)

For me one of those simple awesome things is waking up thinking it's a work day and then realising it's actually not! Or walking outside into my little courtyard and finding that the first gardenia of the season has blossomed. What simple things (apart from donating to the flood relief fund and watching Premier Anna Bligh's graceful handling of this tragedy) do you find awesome?

Hello blogsters. Today I have a treat for you, and a little break from me :) The fabulous Julie-Ann...she of Decorating Forum fame...has agreed to take over the tranquil townhouse for a day. This post, about the perfect parent's retreat, was based on a Forum discussion.  Over to you Julie-Ann...I may have put my 10 cents worth in as well though...can't help myself...sorry!!

_________________________________________________________________

There are times when as parents we crave a little bit of time out. We need a place of our own where the floor isn’t scattered with toys and the television isn’t playing The Wiggles. [or if you're living in the townhouse, old episodes of Buffy the Vampire Slayer...yes, that is who that pesky cat is named after!]

We asked the members of the Decorating Forum – When creating a Master Bedroom/ Parent’s Retreat what would you like included? On the Decorating Forum we love to chat about decorating, renovating and building our homes. We bounce ideas around, help with decorating dilemmas and have a giggle.

Starting at the basics you will need some beautiful bed linen with gorgeous cushions on top...

We loved the idea of having a comfortable place to sit and read or chat with Decorating Forum friends on your laptop...

Your wardrobe needs to have plenty of storage so all of your clothes, shoes and handbags can be stored neatly. And of course there has to be plenty of room to add just one more pair of shoes or handbag... [whoa...that's an awful lot of shoes and boots Imelda-Ann!]

A spa in that beautiful little courtyard off the bedroom would be lovely...

A cupboard stocked with high quality chocolate is a must...[Really? Oh, ok then...]

Remember how the 22 year old came to stay for " only a few weeks mum" about 7 months ago...even with grown up kids you need a parental sanctuary it seems. My bedroom makeover isn't far away...I may have to rethink a few things after this though!

When creating a Master Bedroom/ Parent’s Retreat what would you want included?

[My answer? Not this....]

Thank you Julie-Ann...chocolate food for thought here. And while you're pondering your answer, head on over to the Decorating Forum and sign up. I have!

Hi everyone. I just wanted to share this post if you haven't already seen it, by Grace at Sense and Simplicity. 

Grace is raising money for herself and her friend Kim to go to Bangladesh next (northern summer) to help teach in a speech therapy program.
To try and raise some money, as Grace and Kim are volunteers and not being paid, Grace is selling some of her fabulous photos. If you follow her blog you'll know that she's pretty good behind a lens. She's just asking that you cover the costs of printing and postage, plus $5 per photo donation.  It's a pretty good deal for some wonderful photographic art if you ask me.  I'm ordering these for the gallery wall in my bedroom...

 

but there are masses of others as well, including...flowers

birds...

lakes...

So if you'd like to help out, and get yourself some wonderful photos, please pop over to Grace's and choose yourself some loveliness.

Thanks heaps bloggy peeps!

I have favourites...I do. I'm sorry. But in my defence, there are lots of them, especially you, reading this, right now...thank you for visiting! I thought I might showcase a blog every now and again...fabulous blogs that have been given the tranquil townhouse tick of approval...much sought after here if nowhere else :)
First off is The Art of Doing Stuff.  I only discovered this blog fairly recently but my jaw drops every time I see a new post.  Here's a sample of the things this wonder-woman called Karen...who also looks like she has abs of steel (disgruntled muttering) creates with her own two hands...this was the first thing that caught my eye...a personal fire pit (which has just been shown on the Steven and Chris Show on Canadian TV). Canadians are clever aren't they. Why is that?

She has a sense of humour...the five minute chair recover (throw a mongolian lamb rug over it!). Aren't the bookshelves great...I'm so painting mine white.

 Paved the backyard and constructed a pool and waterfall...yep!

 just because I liked this room...but the runner is made from a plastic bag!

 the garden orbs...done for around $3...

 

 hanging lanterns made from plant pots...

 boxes made from mirrors from the dollar shop...

and there are also an array of amazingly carved halloween pumpkins...but as I refuse to do Halloween I'm not showing them, especially now it's over. 'Soz about it' as the first born would say.
Karen says she's just an ordinary girl but I think she might be Martha's love child :) Check out her site and see if you agree.

Well here we are at another Tuesday (for some of us anyway). Monday kicked into touch thank goodness.

 It's not a day I'm particularly fond of...

 perhaps I should do something about my attitude!

 it's a bit of a mixed bag this week...don't think I've had a kitchen before

and we go from a quite formal outdoor courtyard... 

 to a shabby indoors with more than a touch of the grand...

 and you know hot pink's my favourite...

 but I'm very taken with all these golden tones...

 and I could see myself spending some time somewhere like this...curled up with a good book and a G&T...if only the weather would behave!

and I'm old enough to remember seeing this movie...at the movies!! Loving the brights...

 and the not so...

and the most exciting thing...get this...

my very lovely bloggy friend and super talented artist Kerri painted this in my favourite colour and named it just for me...'Euthora Magenta Martinus'

...and if that doesn't make me feel special I don't know what would! Spoilt I am :))

images this week are from 10 rooms, 16 house, brabourne farm, decorology, design sponge, designers block, desire to inspire, driftwood interiors, home, live like you, the decorista, the diversion project.