I hope you didn't think I'd given up these top ten posts. I haven't.

seen on from the right bank

I know you like them. I do too.

by janis, pinecone camp

But life's funny. It has a way of sneaking up, surprising you, and taking you in a different direction.

seen on a perfect gray

Case in point: I took three unread interiors magazines with me to the Writers' retreat in Bali (please note previously self confessed magazine addiction)

seen on belle maison

And I only discovered when I got home and unpacked, that they were right where I'd packed them in the bottom of the carry-on. Untouched.

seen on mfamb

I hadn't given them a thought. 

seen on savvy home 

And they're still unread. They've been dumped for Janette Turner Hospital (this week at least), my every day morning pages writing exercise a la Julia Cameron, and plotting and planning...

seen on adore magazine blog

I feel like I don't know myself any more...

seen on belclaire house

But I'm quite liking this new, focused, contented person.

seen on an indian summer

The  zen is still with me ;)

by pam, bayside rose

Who'd have thought!

1st option

Thank you very much for all your lovely comments on my last post. I've still got that lovely Bali calm...even my children are saying I've gone all zen!

I mentioned that one of the fabulous things I did when I wasn't writing last week was go to a cooking class at the Casa Luna Cooking School in Ubud...famous apparently...now I know why.

Like the whole writing experience, the cooking didn't let us down either.

We were whisked off to a place that was less a school, more an oasis in the hustle and bustle of downtown Ubud...

 a balinese mortar and pestle weighs between 16-20 kilos and is made of volcanic rock

The school is run by the legendary Janet de Neefe, author of Fragrant Rice (I now have a signed copy!) and owner of several wonderful Bali eating places. I may or may not have sampled a few desserts at Indus just up the road from the hotel :)

We helped make the spice pastes. The lovely staff took over when needed otherwise it would have been two hours in the making, not the 20 minutes it was!

We cooked Chicken Curry, wok fried eggplant, tofu fritters, bean and coconut salad (that was impossible to stop eating), spicy anchovy and coconut sambal, and sago pudding.

 our fantastic and very funny cooking teacher Udeh (not sure if that's how you spell it)

I haven't asked for permission to publish any of the recipes sorry, but I'll surely be trying some of them out this weekend.

I’ll let you know how I go. 

In the meantime, you have a top weekend. You deserve it :)

all images: a tranquil townhouse

I'm heading off to Bali tomorrow. It's around 30 years since I've been there. Horrifying thought. The 30 years thing, not the actual going to Bali. Some of you were probably in nappies, or at pre-school or still wearing knee highs (does anyone still do that) the last time I went; with my long permed hair and new husband in tow :)

This time I'm heading off alone (it's not sad, don't worry) to attend a workshop run by the Sydney Writers' Centre. Aren't they clever going to the tropics so that when you're sweating about what you're writing you can brush it off as the effects of humidity!

I booked this ages ago when I was searching for a focus other than the paid work. If you've been reading this blog for a while you'll know that I'll have a go at most things. It could be called a short attention span; I prefer to call it a fascination with learning :)

But writing is one of those things that is a constant in my life. I do a lot of writing for work. I love that part of it. Discussing problems with my clients, working out what we're trying to achieve and then producing it. The solution always involves words. If I'm really lucky I get to design some graphics too. But not all the time. Rarely in fact. And while I try not to use too much formal language, sometimes it has to be so. Which I suppose requires its own creativity. That's me with my Pollyanna hat on.

Writing creatively is what I'm looking to do sometime down the track. This blog is a small part of that. I feel like I'm embarking on something. I'm not sure of its shape or form, but it's exciting. And the worse thing that can happen by heading off to Bali? I'll meet some nice people, have a crack at something different, revisit a beautiful place, have a cocktail or three....:)

I probably won't blog while I'm away but I have scheduled two posts about two very lovely young women I know so you don't miss me too much. So you all take care and I'll catch up with you when I get back. And wish me luck getting everything finished at work today before I can down tools with a clear conscience...that could be a challenge :)
 

I went on a little trip last week. A flying visit to Bangalow and Shannon Fricke's Little Cottage...for her Styling workshop.

It was a terrific day, for several reasons:
I got to spend time with my dear bloggy friend Kerri with an 'i'. We didn't stop talking from the time she picked me up from the airport on Thursday lunchtime until she dropped me back on Friday afternoon. Except maybe when we were being model students...demonstration by Kerri below...
I got to meet some really lovely women, all of us with a shared interest in the stuff we bloggers love. And three who are doing the Certificate IV in Design that I'm doing as well. That was fortuitous, especially seeing they're all way ahead of where I'm at and I now have their email addresses :)

I learnt some really good stuff about concepts...and I feel that I can apply this process to a whole lot of things (my spring concept: 'a carefree life' is shown below)

I confirmed that I love styling and will continue to do it with gay abandon around my own house and at anyone else's who'll let me in the front door! Here's the little scene I created to demonstrate my springtime 'carefree life' concept...

... and most importantly...
I recognised that styling will NOT be my next career move. But I did come a great deal closer to working out what that might be...words and pictures in some combination...exciting :)

And apart from anything else the day offered (and there was lots), if that didn't make it a worthwhile investment, I don't know what on earth would.
By the way, that Shannon Fricke is one impressive woman. And super nice as well. Complete bonus :)
all photos taken by me

Bet you didn't expect to see a post the day after I told you I was cutting back did you!! But...I had to share this evidence of my new found cunning plan being put into place! This is one of those creative foci I was talking about :)) I signed up to do this course through the International School of Colour and Design...oh, just about a year ago now!

One thing got in the way, and then another...as happens. And the ISCD very kindly let me defer. Best not to rush these things...you know how it is, right?
But now that I've got my focus sorted...this is one of the creative things I'll be working on over the next several months...ok, ok, it'll probably take a year or so!

Assignment 1 is almost in the bag...I just have to gather up some images that represent these secondary colour spectrums...that shouldn't be too hard should it? I knew I bought all those magazines for a reason :)

And even the mess looks quite interesting!
Head on over to kootoyoo for a whole colour wheel of creatives :)
...and importantly...thank you so much for all your lovely comments yesterday about my decision to cut back. As usual, you made my day. I love that about you lot :)
all images by a tranquil townhouse

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.

I've been told a few times that I'm a doer. And that's true...up to a point. It might be more accurate to say that I'm a starter. I start lots of things. It's quite possible that I am guilty of having a short attention span or a low boredom threshold. Although I was told yesterday that I was very patient...that's because yesterday, believe me, it was very necessary!

But it has occurred to me lately that perhaps I need a focus. Perhaps all the trying my hand at this and that is distracting me from being really good, or at least a lot better at something, one thing...any bloody thing!
To illustrate: here are a few of the things that I have started and not quite finished...

• my design course (but to be fair, I have officially deferred while I sort a few things)  

• the crocheted blanket...all the squares are done, they just need to be put together (this may be because I'm not quite sure how to do it!)

• the silver chair...remember how it started off silver leafed and I did, to my credit, see the error of my ways and just paint it silver.  But have I reupholstered the seat yet? No I have not.

• the bottom part of my bedroom. I got the plastering done months ago, I bought a beautiful rug, the reading chair's been there for yonks...but have I painted it yet so that I can finally finish that room? The one room in the house that will actually be finished. Guilty as charged.

• Grace and I did a parallel post on what colour I should paint my study to highlight the red accents that are in there. Have I done anything about that? Again, no. But I have decided on white, including painting the bookshelves. The question is: what white?
• Note the 'stuff I need to deal with' file...that's now stashed somewhere under the desk so I don't need to see it!! This room has changed quite a bit since then, just not in the ways I need it to :)

• Have the chandeliers sourced by the chandelier fairy been put up? Afraid not, but I have decided where they'll go...I think. Now where's that electrician?

• Oh, and here's something REALLY funny. A few weeks ago I decided I'd write a novel. I kid you not. I've done three very impressive paragraphs. Silly bugger I am :)

I'm sure I'm not the only one with this lack of focus disease. Am I? What do you do to get stuff finished? I'd love to hear. But right now I'm off to tackle the blue and white tapestry pincushion commission...or maybe I'll go and pick up my new dining room chairs...yes, will definitely do that. Then there's the washing. I have a few new painting ideas...there's fabric galore just waiting to be made into cushions and bags...you can see my dilemma can't you!?! Sigh.
Have a lovely weekend everyone. I'll be back on Monday, hopefully with something that's finished!