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

 

clever ideas to try...

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

turn your radio on...

I don't listen to the radio much. Mostly it will be when I'm in the car and occasionally on the weekend. And as a sign of I know not what, these days it's permanently tuned to ABC Radio National, not to JJJ or a commercial radio station as in days of old. Is this a sign of my age? Probably.

But I've heard some wonderfully interesting things in the last week and I'm determined to turn on the radio a lot more.  I've learned (or been reminded) that:

• lifts are the most unsociable places you can find yourself in (there's a short story that's slowly, slowly taking shape in my mind about this)
• people live in very small homes quite happily, and apparently the 'not so big' house movement is the antidote to the McMansions epidemic. But, Australian houses lead the world in size - double the size of a house in Denmark but also bigger than American houses - that really surprised me. And, get this...the amount of space we take up as individuals is equivalent to 2.5 tennis courts (that includes roads, housing, hospitals, employment). Hell, why aren't we all Roger Federer then? As a comparison, Parisians take up just over one court and Londoners a mere three quarters. Interesting.

• there's much pleasure to be gained in listening to someone read you a short story...back to our infancy perhaps?
• if you're planning to build a skyscraper don't bother with more than 50 floors - above this and you drastically reduce your return on investment (so glad I found that out!)
• I'd really love to see the Aboriginal opera Pecan Summer, inspired by the first mass strike of Aboriginal people in this country - something I knew nothing about - shame on our education system.

• losing weight is not as straightforward as we think - less calories, more exercise is only a small part of the solution; if you engage others in helping you lose weight you're more likely to be successful; and if you're an all or nothing, black and white thinker you're much more likely to regain the weight you've lost. Be flexible about the amount of weight you can reasonably lose seems to be the message. If only it were that easy :)

And there were a few wonderful hours yesterday morning listening to the live broadcast from the Brisbane Writers Festival. Are you a radio listener or is it the TV that turns you on? Or perhaps you're happiest with the wonderful sounds of silence?

image: 1; 2; 3

new boots...

I didn't imagine that I'd ever be posting about a pair of boots...I suspect that's more than a little lame. However...thinking that I'd have to spend all weekend searching for a pair of boots to be worn tramping around the streets of Washington and New York in just a little over a week (sorry), I couldn't believe that I walked into Diana Ferrari last night and found a pair that are perfect for me...and so, so comfortable...just like that! Who would have thought?

Diana Ferrari: style - Hamish. Cost - $229.95. I estimate that'll be much less than a dollar a kilometre by the time I've finished walking in them!
sorry about the reflection in the painting...I was still in my pj's too!

cheap thrills...free flowers

I do love a flower arrangement...especially when it's free.  I nicked these flowers from work yesterday...it's ok, I'm allowed and we get new ones every Monday :)

I never put flowers in this spot in the house...they're normally on the dining table.. but I really like it.

And that's what it looks like at night time...

The light is made from a bamboo lantern that I took the candle out of,  wrapped the fairy lights in tulle and just shoved them in. It doesn't appear to be a fire hazard:) I wrote about that here and here.
I got the fairy light wrapping idea from Simone's beach vintage blog (but she'd made a fantastic lightshade with white tulle for her daughter's room). 
Have a wonderful weekend won't you...

chinascapes ~ as in dishes, not the country...

There I was...minding my own business...when all of a sudden I had an urge to arrange some china bits 'n pieces yesterday and play around with photographing them...

I've found that it's as good a method of procrastination as any other...

The plasterer came, did a good job and left a slight mess, but I'm not complaining...

Turning up, working and recommending a painter to come and paint my 5 metre high wall in the living room means I'm more than happy to vacuum up a few odd bits of plaster!

...and this was fun...

especially since I may have been avoiding doing something...

...what do they say about having to make a mess before you can get really organised??

...you'll be pleased to know the study is all better now...but alas, too late in the day to take a decent photo to prove it. And I've decided to paint the bookcases. Hello...wouldn't it just have been easier to buy lighter coloured ones in the first place...always go with your instincts bloggy peeps. How about the steam coming off my cuppa though!

My day off this week is today (which I'm not all that pleased about, but clients needed me on Wednesday and who am I to argue). I'm going off to the optometrist to get new glasses...multifocals I suspect! Who ever thought I'd be needing those? Sheesh!! Better leave you with a pretty picture.

Have a lovely week everyone and welcome new tranquil-ites...nice to have you in the townhouse...promise not to make you clean up the study if you drop in!

what to do while waiting for the plasterer to arrive...

Can you believe it? A plasterer is actually on his way to do some work at the tranquil townhouse...I am beyond chuffed...and still slightly disbelieving! The area he'll be working on is the bottom 'level' of my bedroom. Sounds much grander than it is believe me...but once the plastering and painting is done I will certainly reveal all.
So while I was waiting...what better to do than sort my scarves...

Hanging on an antique towel rail I bought when living in the UK 20 years ago...I think it's welsh pine...and I love it. And here's the offending area...or part of it...

When I moved in here, there was the ugliest laminate built in desk you've ever seen in this spot. I can't begin to tell you how difficult it was to remove (and I did it all by myself...you can read about it and see some of the ugliest photos ever here) and how pleased I was when it was gone. This space has been designated as my reading spot when it's finally done up...

...provided the vampire slayer doesn't get there first...good luck with that one Kez!

...not room for much more than the chair, but that's ok...

..it's enough space for me to read and look out at the courtyard. I'll be sure to do a proper before and after when it's all done, dusted and painted...those brown windows drive me batty...and they're all over the house...don't worry, on the list!
...and there's the doorbell, I kid you not! Have a lovely weekend bloggy peeps...wherever you are, whatever you're doing.
And...for those of you who want to see Central Australia in all its glory, go here to follow a family of five who are doing it in a campervan...armchair travelling at its best! Us, not them.

I've had a visit from the chandelier fairy...

I have the best friends. One of them called me today and asked me if I'd like three (yes three) chandeliers that another friend of hers was throwing out! She is now known as the chandelier fairy around here as this is not the first time she's done a bit of chandelier wrangling for me!

Actually the friend's son was throwing them out but let's not get all factual. Oh Chris...thanks for calling...let me think about that for a nano-second...yes please!

There are two with five lights and one with three...

They're quite dirty, but nothing that a bit of soapy water won't fix. 

And Chris has even offered to help with that...the chandelier fairy has been promoted to fairy godmother!! Like I said...I have the best friends.

All I had to do was buy three good bottles of wine...one for each chandelier...doesn't get much better than that does it? Can you see some left over pink feathers from the frou-frou juju lying around on the table...sorry about that...

And sorry about the poor quality photos but I couldn't wait for daylight to take some snaps...I was so excited. So no styling in evidence here bloggy peeps.

They will be going in my living room...replacing lights like these...and I'm ever so glad about that!

Now, where's the phone number for the electrician?

1st and last images from here; others by me taken in a most excited state (i.e. they're not very good!)

calling all iPhone addicts...

I used to have an iPhone. 

I had three in fact...two of them absolute lemons, hence the need for a third. And one particular application [the spirit level] caused the demise of my favourite Ganesh snow dome. It was so kitsch it was completely awesome. Trust me on that. You can read about that mournful little episode here. It's reasonably amusing, although it wasn't at the time. So I gave my iPhone to the first-born and got a Crack Blackberry instead. It's nice...it's sophisticated...and I lose it in the bottom of my handbag in exactly the same way I used to lose the iPhone...

But I kind of miss it.

So, I was pleased to find these fridge magnets online at Peters of Kensington...13 buckaroonies...and no application download costs.

I might have to get some. Either that or just continue to pretend it's beyond cool to give up an iPhone voluntarily. It's my story bloggy peeps...I'm sticking to it!

cheap ideas from BHG

BHG = Better Homes and Gardens...a daggy mag to be sure...but here's a few good ideas from their website...
Stretching fabric around the panels in cabinet doors...requiring a small amount of fabric and a staple machine thing...preferably electric...and careful aim... 

Door knob coat hooks...you will need door knobs, a drill and wall plugs...then all you've got to do is get the ferals gorgeous kiddlywinks to hang their stuff there...could work on the back of a door too...now that's a novel idea...door knobs on doors!

Framed tea towel...look at that dopey bird...

goodness me...I already did that...read all about it here if you haven't already...it's mildly amusing (and you'll be pleased to know I've got a better camera now and have learnt a thing or twenty-two about taking photos)

Group clear glass bottles, jars, vases together with or without flowers. OK, I'm almost sure this wasn't wholly and solely THEIR idea...but it does look pretty nice doesn't it?

Hang some plates on the wall...

...so granny but...bless me...if I haven't done that as well...even if one plate is now a clock...you can read about that little saga here...(notice how I'm giving you these links just in case that little linkedwithin gadget doesn't know what it's doing and because I like to get a little extra mileage out of my posts as they usually take so bloody long for me to compose!)

And last but not least, BHG tells us we should make our sinks sparkle-arkly with Gumption. Not pretty...but practical!

So, does reading Better Homes and Gardens officially make me a dag? I suspect so...is there a helpline for that do you know?!? A 1300 number I can call??

[n.b. for overseas bloggy peeps not familiar with the word dag; in this context it's used as a term of endearment and not given its literal meaning...that, believe me, you do not want to know!]

all images from here; they're claiming you can do all of these things for less than $20...and I suspect they're right! Although not if you were to count the cost of my labour...nothing, but nothing is ever that straightforward at the tranquil townhouse!