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

champagne wreath and a sneak peek...

Start saving those champagne wires for next year people J

Who would have imagined you could make a Christmas wreath out of champagne leftovers...my good friend Chris, that's who!

Goodness knows how many bottles of champagne had to be drunk sacrificed to make this little beauty. I'm pleased to say that I may have contributed once in a while throughout the past year. I like to be helpful J Here it is hanging on the mirror.

Chris said she went minimal with the decorating this year (like me!)...but she certainly knows how to fling a few baubles in a bowl!

Chris and Terry are going to let me photograph their beautiful townhouse over the holidays so that I can show you on the blog...here's a sneak peek...

...you won't be disappointed!

all images: a tranquil townhouse

soul food friday: a rare (and quite mild) rant

I can be quite opinionated. I won't lie. But I don't get on my soapbox much. Really, I don't. 

But yesterday I saw this...

and it really got on my goat; goats having horns 'n all.
In Australia there has been much recent debate after commentator Mia Freedman dared to say we shouldn't call Cadel Evans (Aussie winner of the Tour de France) a hero.  I agree with her, totally, although her timing may have been a bit off. Misuse of the word hero has long been one of my pet hates. To prove, I previously wrote about it here...
And while Jonathan Adler may be a design guru, and I dare say some will be ludicrous enough to call him a design 'hero', I really wish he or his marketing minions wouldn't use a word with as much gravitas as heroic to label a porcelain horn or three. Please leave it to describe acts of courage, which this is not, unless of course people hate them. If that's the case then I can probably think of a few other words, like dopey.
This hijacking of hero/heroine/heroic makes me crazy!
They are quite nice though, those horns :)
Have a lovely weekend while I put my soapbox away in the attic. Which I don't have. Wouldn't mind one though.

guest post ~ the perfect parent's retreat...

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!

soul food friday...investing in yourself

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.

around my house ~ things that make me smile

Do you know Danielle over at Hello Owl? Each week she hosts a 'My Place & Yours' bloggy get-together. She lives in the bush...I think she likes the company...go and visit! When I saw that this week's theme for My Place & Yours, chosen by Hayley from Our Unique Journey, was things in your home that make you smile...I thought I'd have a go...and to be honest work has been so full on I didn't have any other post up my sleeve. Are you ready for a glimpse into the tranquil townhouse and the style that makes me smile? Well, I smile at:

• colour, pattern and texture...

On my coffee table, a carved stone box I bought in Vietnam, a cloisonné bowl from a trip to Beijing, a little pot from Oxfam, and a glass thingy I made with my very own hands in a course at the Canberra Glassworks...I love that place. And under it a rug from Iran [I didn't travel for that one] and an embroidered velvet footstool. 

• whimsy...

My 'of course they can fly' pig. It's a cast iron money box but no money I'm afraid. Strange as it may sound, I think if my house was burning down I'd want to save him...even though he's as heavy as all get out. I'm sure it's a him. Maybe not...what do you reckon? P.S. the brown woodwork does not make me smile...it will be going to paint heaven very soon.

• the classic beauty of blue and white china...

I had more but I got rid of a lot when I downsized...I think I may have to start collecting again...there's space on those shelves for sure. And yes there is blue and white in the bottom left pic if you look very closely!

• reminders of my travels...

Vintage mongolian wall hanging...I bought this when I was lucky enough to work in Mongolia for a few weeks in 2005. It's hand embroidered (this one sewn in 1958) and signed by a woman, or perhaps it was a girl whose name means Honey in English. I liked that. These hangings are used to line the inside walls of the gers (yurts) lived in by nomadic Mongolians.

• flowers (and candles) in the bedroom...

Flowers and candles anywhere really...but there's something special about having them in the bedroom I think. And I love my black wall. I always smile when I see it and congratulate myself for my bravery!! Isn't that right Jules...go see hers here??

• funnily enough...

My John Denver autograph. Oh stop laughing! John and the pig are getting saved if the house is on fire. Hey, maybe I should call the pig Denver?! If you're a true tragic like me you can read my post about John here. It has lots of pretty pictures :)

• buddhas...

Yes, bloggy peeps it's not called a TRANQUIL townhouse for nothing. I have lots of buddhas...they're serene. I mainly have enigmatic ones like these but I do have a couple of laughing buddhas as well. This is a collection I will definitely be keeping and growing. Fashionable or not!

• last, and definitely least...

Capturing the vampire slayer in a very unflattering pose! Oh yes, that is smile worthy. Laughable actually.

Thank you Danielle for hosting My Place & Yours...it was fun taking a look at things around the place from a different perspective. I had lots more I could have included...the 22 year old for instance...who sometimes makes me smile...but not last night when he spilled red curry all over the carpet! That was more a grimace than a smile. And the MGM when he visits of course...he's very funny so it's more laughing than smiling.

Come back tomorrow for my weekly picks of the top ten images since last Thursday. Oh the blog stalking I've been doing for those! Gasp-arama-ness.

all images taken and picnicked by me

top 10 pictures from the week

A little while back I said that I get pretty tired by the time Thursday rolls around and just want to post pretty pictures. I've mostly been taking them from books on my bookshelf...but, ever one to change my mind (surely not!) I've decided...for the moment at least...that Thursday will be devoted to posting pictures that I've seen over the past week on other sites. Pictures that have made me go aaaahhh....or oooooh....or on some occasions have rendered me speechless (no mean feat that one!). Not that I'm qualified to judge these things really, but does that matter? No. Didn't think so.

stills locations via greige

Naturally, as I only just thought of this yesterday, I haven't been putting aside jawdropping images all week (no, that would require organisation and forethought) so it's taken me a while to put this together, which kind of defeated the purpose. And I have no doubt that I've seen many pictures this week that should have made it to the list. But...as this is my first attempt you will, I'm sure, cut me some slack.  Next week though, I'll be stockpiling as I blog stalk...that's the plan anyway! Enjoy...

la porte rouge

via belle maison

pia ulin via just about everywhere

via two little dicky birds

via home-designing

collette dinnigan's house via the diversion project

polly eltes via mostly older than me

the little things

artefact via la dolfina

Thank you to all of these wonderful bloggy places and websites for giving me such tingles!

a simple solution for a small annoyance

No, Buffy is not the small annoyance I am referring to...she's a much bigger problem! But this jewellery box, bloggy peeps, believe it or not...was the simple solution...

to this small annoyance...a candle plate that I have had for years and quite like...which of course you can no longer buy the right size candles for (at the right sized price at least)...

What to do? Fill in the gap of course...and create a whole lot of different looks while you're at it...I tried beachy...

pastel...

tribal...

a touch of old worlde charm...(that was my grandma's brooch)

chinoiserie...

bold and modern...

organic...

love anything remotely boho...

elegant...

a bit of bling...(see that Burberry perfume...a little goes a long way believe me!)

and the life aquatic...

 And then what happens...?

...you find a candle that fits almost perfectly...and it doesn't cost the earth. Sigh. Life's like that.

I'm linking this to Metamorphosis Monday at Between Naps on the Porch

...well it's kind of one I think even though it required no power tools or paint!

all images by me...they took forever to stage, but it was heaps of fun! Just one more procrastination project brought to you by a tranquil townhouse!