I'm not going to get all philosophical this Friday. I really wanted to post this for one simple reason: it made me laugh when I saw it and that's good enough for me. I love the idea that God (or whoever or whatever you believe in) has a sense of humour. That really appeals.

And I wish I'd had this as a poster when the kids were little...the words seem different when they don't come from you!

On a slightly more serious note, the first born and I were discussing this 'quote', and her take on it was this: when someone does something horrible to you, you don't need to seek revenge or retribution, get them back, play tit for tat. You can let it go. Simply because they've been 'seen' and the universe will sort it out. I like that too. We're looked after.

But mostly I think it's funny :)

Thanks so much everyone for a terrific week. Your comments are always so supportive, fun and an absolute pleasure to read. You make my day, every day.

Last chance for your turn at hosting the cupcake...go here if you want to enter.

image from bits of truth

If you Facebook with me you'll know that I had big plans for yesterday, but I think we know by now that nothing I try ever ends up being straightforward. But yesterday I did manage to get some things done...

I am completely in love with my tapestry cube pincushion and I'm just enjoying it on the coffee table for the moment. Or throwing it at the vampire slayer when she gets annoying! Which is often. Don't worry, it's soft :) This is what it started out like..

My friend Chris said it looks like a whole lot of mini persian rugs...exactly what I was aiming for!!

The A4 watercolour has found a home in an IKEA frame from my weekend in Sydney...alas, it can't be hung until I've finished painting the bedroom!

And what was meant to be a little makeup purse made from oilcloth...

ended up being made from cotton and lined with the oilcloth instead (which comes from Simone's shop by the way).  It's ok...I need to perfect a few things before I make some more, but it's useable I think!

Off on a flying visit to Sydney for a few hours today. While I'm doing that why don't you head over to Kirsty's...and see what the crafting geniuses have been up to...that's where I'll be going when I get home :)

p.s. I was meant to be making cushions!
all images by me...

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.

I do like to visit Sydney. We don't do it as often as we should but this week it was on the manageable list. And where else in the world can you take a stroll after dinner and see things like this! And look...Mary McKillop on the bridge pylon...now officially Australia's first saint.

When you have free tickets to something, you should take advantage if you can. So we did.  Off to the Better Homes and Gardens Live Event. We were alas, a little late getting out of Canberra...there were eggs benedict to be scoffed and a carpark to get lost in (that was NOT me by the way).
Anyway... the live event. It wasn't too bad at all. I think it would have been a lot better though if we were doing major renovations, building a house, furnishing a house, needing lots of pots, pans or emu oil! The best part for me was the Prints Charming stall...really nice people, beautiful fabrics...

...and of course, being the book freak I am...I had to buy this one. And I'm itching to stitch! Look at that fabulous display of screen printing bits and pieces.

And if I'm really honest, I was also itching to get to IKEA.  I had imagined that it would shut at 5.00 and time was slipping away. Had I been organised I would have looked up the website before leaving home and discovered it stayed open till 7.00. Never mind. More time to battle crowds and be tempted by things I don't need! Here are a few more snaps from the live event...I love those chairs and aren't those mushrooms magic!

And on to Ikea...I can't take photos there...too scared I'll miss something good if I'm looking through a lens. I went for frames, fabric and a floor lamp...all F words, so easy to remember. I came home with frames and a floor lamp but no fabric, but that's ok.  Here's the lamp I bought. I love it to bits but I did have a mighty Ikea headache by the time I got to the lighting section! I'm not showing you a photo of it in situ though...not until I lose the revolting living room wall colour I've inherited. Don't worry...it's on the list!

Monday already.  Where do the weekends go?

Don't forget to leave me a comment on Cuppie the travelling cupcake. It's looking for a new adventure on its trip around the world and it could be coming to your house. Go on...it's fun...promise!

There's this little cupcake on a chain see....

It's name is Cuppie. He/she (I haven't quite worked out which) has been travelling the world, started off by Diana over at One Crafty Fox... you can read Diana's first post about the cupcake challenge here...

Soooo, a while ago...too long ago actually, which is embarrassing in a whole different way, I won the challenge at Heather's blog a measure of... (who lives in Patagonia) to host little Cuppie here in the nation's capital. Please hop over and visit them both. They're gorgeous.

I gave her/him/it a good time at Floriade, Canberra's annual floral festival....here are the pictures to prove it...

 

Floriade is thirsty, hungry work I can tell you...

and there may have been some spiritual guidance required

for me, not Cuppie...and by the buddhist monk, not the big green papier mache thingy...

Of course we hung about at the townhouse, where Cuppie got acquainted with the local inhabitants...it won't surprise you to know that the vampire slayer wasn't going to put on a necklace under any circumstances...I really must get her a more chic tag!

the crochet rock and the townhouse rhododendron and azalea were much friendlier...

and the first born gave Cuppie a tour of the Cleo offices in Sydney where she works...iconic Elle magazine cover and all!

thank you my precious girl...

Now, here's how it works bloggy peeps...

Leave a comment regarding the

photo below.

What do you think the cupcake said to the girl in the photo 
to result in that look on her face? 

The most creative comment wins, or most probably the one that makes me laugh like a drain! 

Cuppie will be mailed to your home 

with directions and you will be 

the next to host The Cupcake Challenge

on your blog!

The Winner will be announced next Saturday, 23 October, 2010. Can't wait to see what cleverness you come up with! Please make sure I'm able to contact you so I can send Cuppie to wherever in the world you might be :) Somewhere fabulous I hope!

Sara Louise from the eponymous Sara in le petit village (do you have any idea how much I've wanted to use the word eponymous in a sentence?) gave me the Stylish Blogger award a little while ago...

...and then Melli from Melli's designs (I'll resist using that word again) tagged me.
Don't get me wrong, I love these things but there's pressure involved. Who to pass an award on to; what to tell you that's interesting that you don't already know, and, according to the stylish blogger award, what's secret (and I would also add, publishable!)
So, I turned to this for some inspiration...

No, no, not the Vogue Living (although there's inspiration aplenty in there). See that little yellow box...picked it up at the Post Office...it's quite amazing what you can find there. $4.95 and the pack says for ages 8+, but honestly...how many 8 year olds do you know going to dinner parties...unless it's those kids from Junior Masterchef. But dammit, I'd have them out in the kitchen cooking not sitting around the table amusing me.

Anywaaaay,  what should be the first card that tumbles out...

Embarrassing moment...oh good! But it got me on a bit of a roll to reveal things you don't know about me...so, a little story...

• It was in Papua New Guinea. I was there as the media liaison officer for the Defence Force one Anzac Day in the 90s. We sent a contingent to march. I was wearing a pure white Navy Officer's uniform (quite legitimately as I was in the Navy...well, the Navy Reserve actually). So there you go...'fact/secret' No 1...you didn't know I was in the Navy as well as the Army did you?
• Our then Prime Minister Paul Keating was the main dignitary. I met him and shook his hand. F/S No. 2....much as I admire Mr Keating (non-Labor voters please don't judge), he had a very unimpressive handshake. I found that extremely disappointing.
• Apart from shaking hands with the PM, I thought I should introduce myself to the journos, as I was meant to be their main point of contact and it may have been a bit hard to do the job without saying hi! I rocked on up to the very famous (well in Australia anyway) Peter Harvey...he's tall. Okay, that's a fact not a secret...and it's not about me. Stick with me anyway bloggy peeps.

• I was a bit nervous...he was famous...almost as famous as the PM in fact. Perhaps more. Are you getting the picture? F/S No 4...sometimes I'm not as brave as I could be.
• But up I 'marched' to Mr Harvey (I didn't actually march...even though I was in uniform that would have been far too nerdy). F/S No 5...despite the crochet rock and few hundred other bits of 'evidence', I am NOT nerdy. This is nerdy...

• I put my hand out to shake his...looked Peter in the eye (I'm quite tall too...[F/S No. 6]... so it wasn't too much of a stretch)...and said...wait for it...you'll love this...
• "Hello. I'm Peter Harvey". F/S No 7...I'm not Peter Harvey....he was Peter Harvey.
• F/S No. 8...a crack in the universe (a la Doctor Who) did not appear and the ground did not swallow me up as it was meant to.

• I did however blush a very unattractive shade of bright red. Against a snow white Navy uniform, that's very red indeed, even taking into account the tropical heat. F/S No 9...I blush...still...even at this age.

• F/S No. 10....Peter Harvey had the very good grace to laugh along with me once I stopped blushing and I even managed to tell him my real name somewhere along the way. Fact...yes my name is Kerry....and
• I have indeed told this story at many a dinner party...

Now, enough about me...for quite a while I should think. I would like to pass this Stylish Blogger award on to Jeanne who blogs at Collage of Life and three other places too. Everything about Jeanne is stylish; her photos, her words and most importantly I think...her philosophy. And that's what it's all about :)

I'm not much of a one for caravaning...although I did enjoy my armchair travels with the Moerks very much!

My friend Terry (husband to the chandelier fairy) got this book for his birthday last month (actually it was August but let's not quibble) and was kind enough to let me have a borrow...it is aptly named! Caravans that are cool on the inside...

 as well as the out...

 
 They have names...this one's Diddy (not as in P...)

Say hello to the 1954 Winchester Pipet...

 Freeman...well yes, probably...

 This is a Ralph Lauren wallpaper and a caravan chandelier...a carandelier perhaps??

 a 1970s monza 1000...I hope this is meaning something to you...it makes no sense to me I'd have to say...

 This is Mr Smith's caravan. Mr Smith? I think not with that shagadelic interior!

And this may be familiar to you...Roald Dahl's gypsy wagon that inspired his story Danny the Champion of the World...

 I'm quite taken with this newly built shepherd's hut...

 This is a 'canned ham' caravan for obvious reasons. Not sure about its inhabitants.

 ...but I'm quite loving the interior...

 And of course I had to include an Aussie...although I'm a bit disappointed in its lack of panache. Southern Cross is good though.

This is called a teardrop...4 foot wide and high and 8 foot long. Sleeps 2 apparently. Cosy. 

 Guess who owned this next one? The castle might be a giveaway. Prince Charles and Princess Anne when they were kiddlywinks. A play caravan...just what every (royal) kid needs.

 A nicely padded headboard in a caravan called Daisy. Of course.

 But this is my favourite. Cheerful, even though it comes with a cat that looks a lot like the vampire slayer (not shown).

Almost enough to convince me to consider caravaning. I said almost.

Sorry about the photos...taken in the fading Canberra light. Daylight saving? Spring? Ha...get a wriggle on good weather! Please and thank you.