time for a bit of reflection...

I've been thinking...I do it quite a lot. Well...a bit...ok, ok... sometimes. It's mostly mindless nonsense, but there are times I ask myself some very deep questions...like...is there anywhere that you CAN'T put a Venetian mirror...?

Nope...didn't think so!

Did you think I'd gone all philosophical on you...I am capable of that you know...I've been to big school!!

Now, back to business...do you have a favourite mirror?

all images found by typing in venetian mirrors here. Not one little bit of rocket science involved!

my study in red

I have never in my life decorated with red...until now. My study is...well, to put it bluntly...a study in red....yes, bad pun intended, sorry. I've convened a meeting of anything and everything that I own that is red...and put them in my working space where they talk the same language. I've even painted some things to match so they don't feel left out. Here's a peek...you don't get the whole room because it's far too messy right now. I'm too occupied at the moment with all sorts of work busy-ness to clean it up...papers all over the floor, mugs of tea on the desk, even a tape measure (not sure why that's there...to measure my staying power perhaps?)

The red cabinet used to live in the guest room when I had the luxury of one of those...no more I'm afraid, so now it holds the printer paper and anything else I don't have a place for...hmmm, maybe that's where I put the battery charger The head in the foreground belongs to an antique rocking horse...falling apart at the seams as all well loved rocking horses should be. The painting was bought from a dodgy art 'student' in Beijing...because I liked it and it reminded me of the doors of the Forbidden Palace...

The 'stuff I need to deal with' reminder makes me laugh like a drain...it's a nice principle...but do I do it very often? Ah, nah! The lava lamp was a gift and I don't care what anyone says...I still think they're cool...even if they're not really. The pen holder is one of the vampire slayer's old cat food tins painted with gloss enamel...that cat's got to be good for something! The eskimo sculpture was a gift from Canadian friends we lived with in England a very long time ago...thanks Mary and Mark. Apart from lovely memories, it reminds me that while it gets cold in Canberra, it doesn't get that cold!

The red thing started with me changing my mind...a fairly frequent happening in that space between my ears...when I called my friend Chris who was on her way to Ikea from Canberra (a 3 hour trip) who had kindly offered to pick me up an item (or twenty-three).

"Chris, could you possibly change that white Lack shelf to a red one please? Are you sure Kerry? Yep, let's live a little dangerously" said I...and I'm glad I did. I quite like it...for the moment anyway. And besides, it matches my kitsch parrots! Just noticed my desk needs dusting...sigh.

Still much to do in this room where I spend such a lot of my time...like painting the walls white, getting rid of the very ugly terracotta coloured vinyl venetian blinds...whoever heard of that colour blind for crying out loud? I'm thinking maybe some nice roman blinds instead? But the main thing is that this room works for me...and I can sit at my desk and look out the study door across my living room to a view of my courtyard...and that's quite nice. It'll do me anyway. That pile of unread books is still in here though!!

all images by me - yep, need to take a photography course!

easters before blogging began

I've been blogging for precisely 53 days. That's not very long and I'm not complaining....but...see this pile of books...my pile of books waiting to be read...

...in Easters gone by, that pile would have been toast...metaphorically speaking of course. I would have read at least two...possibly three of that lot in the time it took to demolish a chocolate egg or thirty-three. That's my daughter at her 21st birthday party in case you were wondering...isn't she beautiful:)

If you read yesterday's post you'll know that this fabulous book got a good work-out over the weekend...

But seriously...as much as I love design books...and I bought another three from the 2nd hand bookstore as well as this brand spanking newbie and there are a couple more on order from the Book Depository...I really miss reading fiction. I have to find a way to balance my love of that, with the satisfaction I get from writing this blog and my complete obsession genuine curiosity with seeing what you lot are up to. Has anyone solved this problem...and if so...can you please help? Will I get some equilibrium when I'm not so new at this? Please tell me it settles down! Now I have to head off to work and earn some money so I can continue buying books. Have a great (short) week bloggy and non-bloggy peeps. I will be. Maybe I'll even have a read one night!

ambushed by megan morton ~ her book that is

I have a bone to pick with this woman! I wasn't literally ambushed by Megan Morton of course...I'm sure she's far too nice to lie in wait for unsuspecting bloggers. But I was sure as heck ambushed by her book!

I had all sorts of plans for my house this weekend....mountains of chocolate projects to get through...walls to paint, hedges to trim, sweet peas to plant...cupboards to sort...a chair to silver leaf (wait for that one!)...paintings to paint...

But did I do these things? Oh no, I did not!  Well, ok I did some...but I also spent an awful lot of time sitting on my butt reading this fabulous, gorgeous, stupendous book from cover to bloody cover!! 

And it (I am very pleased to say) confirmed my view that I am not a minimalist and that colour and texture are my weapons of choice!  And I'm too old to change now...but Megan says that's ok. In fact I think I can quite safely define myself as boho which she describes as "...having no hard-and-fast rules, no real right or wrong...a relaxed, ad hoc look that complements the lifestyle of travellers and collectors, granting them the freedom to buy up whatever and whenever they will." Oh Megan...thank you!

These are some of the images in the book that made me stop and look that little bit longer....I've taken them with my very unsophisticated camera...so you really do need to go and buy the book to get your proper fill.  Every facing page is a full page, to-die-for image of a beautiful interior...or sometimes an exterior...

Do yourselves a favour.  Stop what you're doing...immediately...and go and get a copy of this book. Don't wait until your birthday, your anniversary, Christmas...do it now!! Or go and get one of your beloveds to do it for you...you know they will...they love you!! 

And you'll love Megan Morton as well...because she believes in sharing, and that's exactly what this book is...a true guide...real tips...fabulous advice. As she says..."when you're willing to share what you know, others share with you - it's the power of karmic knowledge." Yep.

all images taken by me of the contents of Megan Morton's book Home Love published by Lantern (I do hope it's ok to do that...after all, I really want you all to go and buy it!). Check out the homelove blog where you can also buy a copy.

a different kind of inspiration

Please don't laugh at me...my non-bloggy friends do quite enough of that. Yes...you lot...you know who you are! But I love John Denver and I miss him. I wonder what beautiful music he would have written if he hadn't died? I spent yesterday morning doing the housework and indulging myself in a Denver-fest. I live alone, mostly...a definite advantage when you want to play daggy music...loudly...for a very long time...and sing along at the top of your voice as well :)

The vampire slayer did choose to spend most of the morning outside though...must remember to try that little trick more often!

So...indulge me... some pictures inspired by John Denver lyrics, for those who share my affection for the boy who slept in his grandma's feather bed...

'close your eyes and rest your weary mind...'

'like a night in a forest...'

'like a walk in the rain...' 

'perhaps love is like a window, perhaps an open door...'

'like the colours of the rainbow...' 

'lie there by the fire and watch the evening tire...' 

'how sweet it is to love someone, how right it is to care...' 

'today, while the blossoms still cling to the vine...' 

'a million tomorrows shall all pass away, 'ere i forget all the joy that is mine today...'

Oh, and guess what...complete tragic that I am...I have a John Denver autograph. An old flame of mine found himself sitting next to John Denver on a plane a long time ago...and knowing of my devotion, asked for this...and I treasure it.

I'm coming out of the John Denver closet bloggy people. I plan to find myself a suitable, beautiful frame and proudly show that autograph off...

Vale John...you've brought me a lot of joy...especially on long road trips...and if you want to call me a 'dag'...any of you...please do! I know John wouldn't mind. Peace, out.

images: buddha and autograph by me; others from here, here and here

easter 'decorating' ~ not really!

Eddie Ross does festive decorating...big time.  This setting may not be for Easter but if it isn't it should be. There are eggs...case closed.

I don't 'do' festive decorating...not much anyway. You should have heard the carry-on a few Christmases ago when I did a Christmas 'tree' in a huge glass vase...you know lots of sprayed silver branches and beautiful baubles a-dangling. Those ferals gorgeous young adults of mine were less than impressed! But of course, last Christmas when I put up the very classy black tree with all the silver baubles and the twinkling fairy lights, did they lift a finger to help, or even provide lots of ooh and aaah noises...oh no they did not. Out of the will they are!

Lucky I live alone is all I can say! Well I do get visits from the MGM and then of course there's the vampire slayer, but she's had far too much publicity this week as it is, so no more mentions of her. Ever.
Anyhooo...I thought given that everyone seems to be posting Easter pics, I'd better get in on the act too.  So here is my feeble attempt at Easter 'decorating'...don't fall about laughing, ok? It's Easter...there are rabbits and a couple of chocolate eggs...close enough!

I do appreciate that my attempts may disappoint some of you...so here are some beautiful eggs that might lift your spirits...right back up where they belong!  

One might conclude from these that I don't do 'subtle'....hmmm...probably right about that.

So, have a wonderful break everyone. I'm planning on doing a great deal of absolutely nothing. Peace and blessings dear bloggy people...and if you're travelling...make sure you travel safe.

apart from my own, images are from here and here and here