soul food friday ~ being unfollowed and measures of success

I've lost a few followers in the past couple of weeks (but thank you very much to the four new readers since I first drafted this post :). It isn't the first time people have unsubscribed, and I have no doubt it won't be the last! [And as an aside, the word 'followers' really needs reviewing Google!]

I'll be very honest with you...the first time it happened I was horrified. What have I done wrong? Why don't you like me any more? Can I make it up to you? Please come back :( And it wasn't just the first time that I felt that way either!

And then, last weekend after another spate of 'losses'...I laughed the next time it happened! Because I just knew that when I turned on the laptop there would be at least one less of you...and I found it amusing that my intuition was so spot on! Or that I'd actually willed it to happen because I'd focused on it (but that's a whole other 'law of attraction' post isn't it!)

But importantly, it started me thinking about success. What makes a blog successful? How do we measure that? Most of us use the number of followers as at least one of those measures don't we? If we're being honest. It's lovely to think that there are people out there who might like what we do...who appreciate the effort we're making...who 'get' us. But does it matter how many there are? The 'right' answer of course is no. But I suspect we do care...just a little bit. And I don't know about you, but I certainly get a thrill when the number ticks over one by one...as it did while I was editing this post!

So...success...what are the 'best' measures? I've decided it's not in the quantity, even though that's really lovely and I'm not denigrating it at all and I'm very grateful for the number of people who've clicked on the 'follow' button here. And I love to follow blogs...for me, it's a sign of appreciation of the effort someone has gone to. Have I 'unfollowed'? Yes I have, but not much. When I started to worry about getting to everyone I followed, making comments so you knew I was interested, it all got a bit too much. Now I regard following someone's blog as a big round of applause...but it doesn't mean I have to clap each and every day :)  

So I thought about what measures were important to me...and they are these:  

• the fact that we make a connection with others...some stronger than others, true...but connections nonetheless; 
• the sincerity and/or quality of what we present to each other; 
• staying true to the many reasons we started doing this in the first place, or finding different, better reasons;
• the care we take to think about and then compose something that we hope others might enjoy; 
• the sharing of thoughts and ideas and discoveries and skills...or yes, even pretty pictures, whether it be with one person or a thousand :)

And then, my mind wandered off to one of my favourite pieces of writing...attributed to Ralph Waldo Emerson (although I believe that is disputed)...it goes like this...you probably know it...

"To laugh often and love much;
To win the respect of intelligent people and the affection of children;
To earn the approval of honest critics and endure the betrayal of false friends;
To appreciate beauty;
To find the best in others;
To give of one’s self;
To leave the world a bit better, whether by a healthy child, a garden patch, or a redeemed social condition;
To have played and laughed with enthusiasm and sung with exultation;
To know even one life has breathed easier because you have lived…
This is to have succeeded"

Nothing much there about numbers :)

So thanks so much for sticking with me...and for getting to the end of this long post! I've said it before, and I'll say it again...you're a top lot!

diy clay gift tags...

Given that my living room is getting painted next week...and a host of electrical stuff will be going on as well...I'm not able to decorate the house for Christmas. Which is quite infuriating seeing this is the first year I've had a blog! So a wreath on the door and a garland or two will probably be the extent of yuletide decorating shenanigans at the tranquil townhouse. Never mind...my substitute for Christmas decorating has been to make these...

The 'peace' will be part of a garland, but I also thought it would be nice to make my own gift tags for Christmas presents...so I did that too. Here they are waiting to dry...takes 24 hours or so according to the packet :)

Inspired by this magazine article (in December Home Beautiful)...

...Nellie's clay tag tutorial... and Ness's examples...I thought, why not give it a go! So I did. Here's the bits and pieces...sorry, not a very glamorous shot of all the makings...but I was well and truly over it by the time I took that pic :)

The neutral colour DAS clay was much easier to use than the red...and I also used this Fimo light...which is certainly much lighter (but I forgot to take a photo)...it was pretty good to use as well.

I just rolled the clay out with a rolling pin, cut out shapes with cookie cutters or in the case of the rectangular ones, a pizza cutter to cut the shape, and then used a variety of stamps and inks to press on to the shape. Make a hole with a bamboo skewer and it's done. Easy! I bought the clay from Eckersley's Art and Craft, some of the stamps from there as well, or from Lincraft...and the pen (see below) from Riot Art. I'm sure Spotlight would have all or most of this as well but I couldn't be bothered schlepping over to Queanbeyan!

Apparently once they're dry you can smooth the rough edges with some steel wool, but an emery board would probably be good...and easier. I'll have to do that tonight once the tags are dry.

The lovely girl at Riot Art assured me that this pen will write on the clay once it's dry. My intention is to do the whole to/from/with love etc thing on the back of each tag.  Because you never know...some of my family and friends might get a whole lot of presents from other clay tag making people, not just from me! Hard to believe I know :)

p.s. I'll be having a Christmas giveaway on Monday...might fling a few of these in :)

top ten pictures from the week ~7.12.10 (and a super easy finger food recipe)

And Monday nights are supposed to be quiet! A very quick post as I get ready to host book club here tonight...I mean last night...

via elements at home

A quick whip around is in order...so no words, just pictures :)

via elements at home

until you get to the recipe of course, then there are words as well as pictures...

via the decorista

well, one picture...

via pink patent mary janes

by the lovely and talented Erin of Erin's Art and Gardens

but I digress...

pretty space

...as usual! You can see I still have my white painted wall thing going on can't you...painters are here next week, yippee! But I like to throw you off every now and again!

via if the lampshade fits

via interiors

via oeke design 

via wicker and stitch

Now for the quickest, easiest, tastiest finger food recipe...mini quiche ...you need the following (I cheat and use ready made):

• 2 sheets of shortcrust pastry
• about 1/4 of a jar of caramelised onion or whatever looks equivalent to one onion (or make your own if you're a smarty pants)
• 3 teaspoons grainy mustard
• 1/2 - 3/4 cup of milk
• 2 eggs
• 125g bacon

Cook the bacon in a little bit of oil until it's crispy, fling in the caramelised onion and mustard and a bit of pepper, and take off the heat.

Cut circles of pastry to fit your tin and put a small amount of the bacon mixture in each case. Pour over the milk and egg mixture, pop in the oven for 15-20 minutes at 200 degrees C, and voila!

via me and my kitchen

And I have to apologise for not doing much commenting lately. My internet connection is playing silly buggers and taking an age to do anything...it's driving me batty!
p.s. the bookmarks were a big hit!
...and there may have been a drink or two in memory of Rose as well...'twas only fitting :)

bookmarks for my book club girls...

I'm writing this on Sunday evening...totally knackered after a very full on weekend. Much of Saturday was spent at the Canberra Handmade Markets where I met the lovely Jennie, aka Posie of Posie Patchwork. She is even nicer in person than she is in the bloggy world :)
And I managed to get a bit of Christmas shopping done...if only I'd taken the camera!
And yesterday was spent completing these bookmarks...

One for each book club member...the last book club of the year at my place tonight!

As usual, something that was easy enough in my head took much longer to execute than I'd planned...still, I loved making them for special people...and it is Christmas after all :) 
But can someone please steer me in the direction of a quick and simple craft!!

And...you'll be pleased to know that the chandeliers were dropped off for rewiring as well in preparation for them to go up next week...the same day the painters start! That's only taken me six months...no point rushing these things now is there :)

soul food friday ~ being connected

I had a very interesting day yesterday. I woke up after my day off and really didn't want to go to work. I actually had to talk myself into it...and that's unusual...and not a good thing. No, not good at all.
As I was driving to work I tried to figure out why I was feeling that way. And once I allowed myself to think about it...because really...who wants to think about these things...it was actually pretty clear. I was feeling disconnected. From my work, from the people I work with, from my ability to be creative there. I have a great job. I work with clever, lovely, fun people in a beautiful environment. And yet...I couldn't shake the glooms. And I didn't think it was because it was the end of a long, tough year or days and days of rain.
I talked it through with a colleague at lunchtime...in our communal kitchen. And as I talked about my feelings of disconnection, the solution became very clear to me. I needed to move. Not away from the company, but away from my office. And into the open plan. Towards my colleagues.

Having an office of your own is a bit of a status thing isn't it? I've had a lot of them. But the 'geography' of this one kept me away from everyone else. A corner office (everyone's dream!), but a corner office around a corner...if you can imagine that. I could hear people but I couldn't see them, and they couldn't see me. I wasn't connected. So I moved my stuff out on to the main floor late yesterday. And already I feel better...and it was also lovely to have people say that they thought it was great. They might not think that this time next week though!

And that one, simple act...that on-the-spot decision, will make a huge difference...of that I'm sure. I'm an extrovert...mostly. I know there will be times when I wish I was back in my office (which we're going to use as a library and meeting room) but I know it's the right thing for me to do. Amazing how a simple physical change can create a mental change as well.

Being connected is essential to a happy life don't you think? And it's what the blogging world does so brilliantly. We reach out over the ether. We get concerned when someone is going through a rough time. We sympathise.  We encourage. We say 'bravo' when someone does something great, or even just has a go. We ask for advice and we get it. If we're lucky we make wonderful friendships. We find people we get to meet in real life and a whole lot more we'd love to meet. We discover people who are on our wavelength (I'm not the only knitted dishcloth nut out there...am I??). A lot of you give me the best laughs with your priceless, kind, witty, cheeky comments. People might disappoint us; we might disappoint them. But the bottom line for me is this...we connect.

So as I reconnect with my workplace I want to thank you for the connections you've given me...so very generously...and I want to tell you how much I appreciate them. You're a top lot :)

my creative space...softies for mirabel

It's been a looooong time since I've made a toy!

I started this a few weeks ago thinking I'd whip it up in no time...but the embroidery took a little longer than I expected (why are all of my projects like this I wonder ??)

Instead of a button on his bottom I made a little pom pom! Please note that I made this from a kit I found at Spotlight. I'm not that clever!

Anyway, finished now and in the post today for the Softies for Mirabel appeal. Look at all the toys in the window at Meet me at Mikes...awesome

Go here to find out more...it's not to late to get a toy in...and when you've done that head over to Kootoyoo for a bunch of creatives...and someone please make it stop raining!! So over it.

cat love of the non vampire slayer kind

I was in such a funk this morning that I wasn't even going to turn on the laptop. I know!

But of course I did. And I found these and that put a smile on my face, so I thought it was only fair to share just in case you're in a mood too. Cat haters can look away now and come back tomorrow...it's ok...I understand :)

That lot up there were from here...and this lot down below are from here (the first born's tumblr Chasing Satellites...cool name huh?)...crazy cat people!

Ok, thanks...I feel better now. 
So I suppose I'd better include one of the vampire slayer...can't have her feeling left out....still with her attractive plastic tag :)