Wednesday, February 29, 2012

this week's top ten...29.2.12

 Happy leap year day...if there is such a thing J
No time for too many words today possums
Just pretty rooms
Or unusual ones...
You decide



that one above is the waiting room of a hair salon...cool huh!
aren't these flowers spectacular?
Let me know which one you like best J
images seen on: from the right bank, a perfect gray, design manifest, design sponge, parlour, designing home, summer house, the brick house, the style files, tiny white daisies
p.s. thanks for agreeing with me on my last post...and for letting me in on the whole white spined french book thing...who knew! Not me....although the reason they do it still eludes me J

Monday, February 27, 2012

promise me you'll never do this...

This, dear bloggy people is a travesty...
An all white bookshelf. It's just plain wrong. When I first saw this picture I thought all of the books had been covered with white paper, and I wrote quite an impressive rant about that!  Which I had to delete when I realised that they weren't covered...that they were in fact books with only white spines. Which, I concede is not as bad, but it's still wrong. 
In my book J
You know I'm a book lover...and this just makes me wonder if these books are really loved for what's inside their covers, or if they're only in those shelves for their decorative appeal. Call me odd, but that makes me a bit sad.
Would you do this?  Would you, in the worst case collect, or if not collect because you already owned them (in which case I'm prepared to cut you some slack)...would you only display certain coloured books to fulfil a room vision? Could you? Should you? 
I really, really hope there's another room in this home with a bookcase full to the brim with books in every colour of the rainbow. But not colour coded...no, not that.... even though I will confess to having done it myself once upon a long time ago. Before it became a trend! 


Thank you for the kind comments on my last post and welcome to a few new readers...it's lovely to have you here in the townhouse, where the books are colourful and placed by height and sometimes category...so I know where to find them! 

Friday, February 24, 2012

soul food friday: when even good change is a bit hard...

Many of you will know I’m a HR consultant.  Sometimes I advise clients about managing change. Hell, I even invented a change model based on whole brain thinking.  I know.... clever huh J *snort/guffaw*. So...bottom line is, I know the theory.
Last week, a major work change that’s been in the making for over six months finally came to fruition. We sold 80% of the business to (I’m very pleased to say)  an Australian publicly listed company. This means that 20% remains privately owned, but I’m no longer one of those owners. I'll have to resort to buying shares!
For the last ten years I’ve been a company director. I’ve been part owner of a business; involved in a whole pile of stuff that comes along with that. To be honest, some of it’s been a huge load and a heavy responsibility, but mostly it’s been an enormous privilege to be part of something that’s grown and succeeded and made a difference to a lot of people...and I really believe we have done that.
And while I was very happy to sell my shares (and no, I won't be rich!), last week I found myself experiencing a sense of loss.  And also being a bit bemused about how to go back to being an employee because I'm staying on with the company (actually, as a 'key person' I don't have a lot of choice about that for the next few years!). And while the changeover hasn't happened just yet, I'm slowly getting used to my place in the work world being different now.
During an email exchange with the first born on the day we announced the sale to staff, I wrote that I was a bit sad and feeling emotional. She said “that’s understandable – it’s your baby". True. [Well, it's one of them anyway...the others have caused a great deal more trouble!]
But she’s right. I do feel a bit like a mother who’s waved off her child as they leave home (been there, done that, found it hard...although when they've done it more than once it gets easier!). And like that person, I need to let go of the apron strings. Or to mix a metaphor or three...pass on the baton while untying the strings and looking to the future! It’s the right thing for me, and it’s the right thing for the company. It doesn’t mean I stop caring. It doesn’t mean I don’t want the best for it.  It just means I have a different role now, and I think it’s ok (probably even necessary) to do a bit of grieving for the old one. In fact, I don’t think I’d be me if I didn’t.
But it’s the silly, simple things that are doing my head in. I didn’t have to worry about moving out of my office. I did that ages ago, voluntarily (you can read my thoughts on that here, it's about being connected and it's still one of the best, simple things I've ever done).  But what on earth do I put on my business card now? Who’s going to sign all the things that I used to sign?  Who do I report to? And when do I surrender my corporate credit card L
The reality is that things will probably go on pretty much as they always have, at least for the foreseeable future. Day-to-day my core job doesn’t change, except I may very well get busier for a bit as we adjust to a new set of business requirements. I’ll still put in every bit of effort that’s needed. I’ll still celebrate all of our achievements, individual and collective.  I’ll just have a different role, add value in a different way, learn to accept that I won’t be introduced to people as a company director any more. Even though I've never really cared too much about status, even when I was in the Army, I think that might be one of the hardest things to get used to. Hey I'm human.
So...some adjustments to make, but none of them very agonising. And in time, a whole raft of new possibilities will emerge. I may not be sure about much, but I'm sure about that...whatever the 'that' may be! And if I'm a bit more flaky than usual for a while, I'm sure you'll understand; come to think of it that probably explains why I can't decide if I'm going through major, minor change, or minor, major change. 
I should probably see someone about that J


p.s. I do realise this is a completely self indulgent post. Normal nonsense will resume shortly J


Thursday, February 23, 2012

look...the townhouse is on canada's style at home!

Just a quick one to tell you that I was more than a little excited this morning when I got an email on the way to work to say that my submission to a blogger’s budget decorating tips article had made it on to the style at home website. 
It's a little piece about framing your jewellery J
I've always been very fond of Canadians...I see them as the northern hemisphere Aussie equivalent. I'm clearly going to have to visit now!  
Here's  the link to all the other clever bloggers who contributed. Pop on over and have a look if you get a moment.
And thanks to the 23 year old for doing the photoshopping J

Wednesday, February 22, 2012

this week's top ten...22 feb 2012

Some weeks it’s easy.
This, possums...was one of those weeks J
In fact it was so easy it was almost hard
...too many choices
Apropos my last post
I'd just like to clarify a few things
it's 30 bags in 30 days
but that doesn't necessarily mean consecutive days
nor, you will notice
did I stipulate the size of the bags!
I'm not silly...and yes, I have kitchens on my mind J

Monday, February 20, 2012

30 days...30 bags

I stumbled upon a list while I was doing a bit of blog hopping... it was about decluttering. 40 places in the house...a bag of junk evicted every day for 40 days.  Then I started to read The Happiness Project. First chapter...decluttering. Everywhere I look people are chucking stuff out. So I thought I'd better jump on the bandwagon. However, it's 30 days and 30 bags for me...40 being a bit too biblical for my liking!  Here are the first three from a very productive few hours in my wardrobe and chest of drawers over the weekend. With apologies for the very uninspiring photo...
That makes 27 over the next 29 days...easy!  Here's where I'm going to focus my attention:
  • kitchen drawers, pantry, under the kitchen sink
  • study drawers, cupboard, bookshelves, files (I tackled the wardrobe over the holidays)
  • bedside tables
  • wardrobe top shelf
  • linen cupboard
  • bathroom
  • cupboard under the stairs
  • studio drawers/shelves/wooden chest
  • living room storage
  • shed
  • garage
  • courtyard
  • car
  • magazines
And in a major change to my normal MO...those bags have already been dropped off to the clothing bin! Have you done a major declutter lately? How'd you go? What was the toughest thing about it? Any tips? I'll feel better once it's all done won't I...as long as I don't get chucker-outer remorse J

Thursday, February 16, 2012

this week's top ten...16 feb 2012

Hiya!
A day late I know...
Sorry about that.
Actually, make that a week and a day late
There are many things happening in the world of Kerry right now
So the poor old top ten...
which gives me so much pleasure...
has had to slip off the metaphoric radar for a bit
so I hope you enjoy this lot
a bit of a mixed bag, but that's the way we like it right?
...of course it is!
images seen on: spongeg tumblr; brydie brown tumblr; decorology; design files; desire to inspire; from the right bank; gild and grace; interior inspiration tumblr; style files; the diversion project

Tuesday, February 14, 2012

free tickets, a blog birthday and that day

Hello thrill seekers! The blog had a birthday yesterday. We celebrated (the blog and I) with a cheeky little sauvignon blanc, being ignored by the vampire slayer (naturally) but nonetheless quietly basking in the knowledge that the past two years have been so much fun; it’s Valentine’s Day today....(not that it means a lot around here) and I have free tickets. There was another significant thing that happened yesterday too but I’ll tell you about that next week J
Now, on to the real point of this post. Do you like Better Homes and Gardens? Me too!
Did you know that the BH&G Live Show is on in Melbourne between 24-26 February? No? You do now.
Would you like to go? 
Or if you don’t live in Melbourne do you know someone who does and would like to go instead of you? On your behalf? A very cheap but terrific birthday present for someone? Get in early for Christmas? A Valentine gift to yourself? Yes? Excellent.
I've been given twenty tickets. Yes, twenty...that's generous isn't it. Just let me know in the comments if you'd like a couple and make sure I can contact you by email and I’ll send you the secret ‘getting in’ code and full instructions to get those tickets in your/their hot little hands.
I’m a bit partial to Fast Ed...his work I mean. How about you...do you have a Better Homes and Gardens  favourite? 
all images better homes and gardens
 

Monday, February 13, 2012

a whole lot of lazy...

I’m sorry I haven’t been around much. Lack of posts, very few blog visits, unanswered emails, no top ten last week!
To be honest, I’m a bit fatigued. Lots on my plate and too much on my mind. So I downed tools this weekend and did very little except read in bed, do the most basic chores like washing and tidying up the kitchen, watched tv and crocheted. And fed the vampire slayer of course...unfortunately she's hard to ignore. But I did manage to ignore my computer screen for a very large chunk of time!
first in my 'classic of the month' reads
It’s done me the world of good, but I’m going to toddle off to the doctor this week and get a check-up. And the only reason I’m telling you that is because if I write it here I might actually do it
a new ripple for a baby boy
There WILL be a top ten this week, if nothing else! So you have a good one (week that is) and I’ll try to do the same J
....oh, and yeah! The blog is two today...thank you for being such wonderful company xox
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