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!!

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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!

I do love Monday nights and putting together the weekly top ten.

Sometimes I get to Monday and have heaps of pictures saved...

sometimes not so many...

some weeks it's hard to find things I like...

some weeks it's super easy...

this was one of those weeks...

there seems to be more white creeping in to my choices...

but that's ok isn't it?

...of course it is! And they're never completely devoid of colour...I can't do that!

I think it's because I'm preparing to have my living room painted white...

Tiny's coming this afternoon to give me a quote. I'll keep you posted.

Ok...here's some more colour...you know I can't resist...

Make sure you come back tomorrow won't you...there's going to be a guest post. I love that :)

this week images are from: apartment therapy, a punch of color, an indian summer, belle maison, bloesem, design sponge, poppytalk, the inside story, the new victorian ruralist

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 hit the 'pay now' button yesterday. I probably do it more than I should, but I had been pondering this buying decision for a while and decided to take the plunge. Have a little splurge. Invest in my future.

I'm 53...there you go...I've said it! Don't look it though:) I've had an incredibly satisfying career in HR (and still do), along with a military career and the all important motherhood of course, but there comes a time when you need to think about different things...while there's still the time! 

I can't see myself giving up my day job for a while yet (there's still a pesky mortgage to pay off) but you can see from my desk that my worlds collide! One day I'll want to move from Canberra and do something else. And I'm incredibly interested in styling and photography....so I'm going here...Shannon Fricke's

...to do this...
I'm booked in for the 6th of May. Can't wait. And as they say...it's never too late. What are you looking forward to? And how do you invest in you?
Thank you once again for another lovely week of wonderful, funny and supportive comments. You're the best.

Can I just indulge myself in a tiny bit of self congratulation please? It doesn't happen all that often. I am so happy with how my blue and white pincushions are looking. One complete...and some pretty flowers from the garden thrown in for good measure!

I'm loving the freshness of the blue and white, and the thing that makes me happiest is that I designed a couple of the panels all by myself with some inspiration from a few rugs...who knew I could do that? I know it's not rocket science but hey, it's progress! Makes me want to do a lot more.

These are for the lovely Kerri, who's wonderful art and fabulous friendship is always inspiring me. I'm planning some different designs and colourways. They take time (and a whole lot of patience) to make but they're fun, and comforting in a granny doing needlepoint kind of way. 

And I'd like to think that these little pincushions might one day become little bits of a family history, passed on through a couple of generations...wouldn't that be lovely? I do hope they don't fall apart!!
For creativity galore, head on over to Kootoyoo for Thursday's crafty links. Bet they don't have nightmares about unravelling stitches :)

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.

I'm a very time poor little possum at the moment, so this will be a post with almost no words. I know! Enjoy it while you can :)

I had a bit of trouble collecting pictures this week. I blame Halloween. And the aforementioned time issue. And a couple of pincushions...you can see them on my Facebook page :)

...and not a pumpkin in sight!
images found at a punch of color; beautifulism; bright.bazaar; down and out chic; elements at home; head over heels; heather jenkinson; flourish design and style