glimpses of the townhouse garden...

The weather was so great on the weekend I thought I'd do some much needed weeding in the courtyard. And while I was there...take some photos as well...

This fabulous terracotta sculpture was done by Canberra artist Vivien Lightfoot...who's the first born's best friend's mum...got that! I'm patiently waiting for the jasmine to cover the lattice...because no way am I painting it!

The water bowl is a fairly recent addition that I love....well I loved it once I'd waterproofed it...who in the heck sells you a water bowl that leaks!!

And this is the first time I've had any success with sweet peas...so I'm pretty pleased about that...

Lobelias...so simple but I love them.

The maple I planted earlier this year...that I was told wouldn't grow where I put it....ha! I knew it would :) 

It was only half this size when I bought it for $14 at Bunnings...bargain.

And pelargoniums, or are they geraniums...I never know...but I think they're great too.  And in my opinion, you can't have a garden without a buddha or two...

And hey everyone...thanks so much for all your suggestions and support for the TT subtlety diet...I'm putting some of them in place and I'll up date you from time to time...

But more importantly...I've got some plans for the courtyard over the summer break...which may or may not involve painting out the ugly mission brown on the back of the house and installing some floaty curtains on the pergola!!

Tranquil, yes?

...and of course it's not a courtyard photo shoot without you know who is it!!

soul food friday ~ a four letter word starting with D

Less soul food, and more real food this week! I've put on a bit more weight than I'm comfortable with over the past several years. I'm blaming the man...and pre-menopause...the vampire slayer...anyone but me really!

So I have decided that action is necessary, but I've never had a lot of luck with 'formalised' dieting. It makes me feel deprived and I don't much like that. Well, who does?
So I've invented a new approach...it's called... the tranquil townhouse subtlety diet! But I need your help...

Let me explain before you go reaching for your phone to call someone to come and take me away.  It's based on the premise (actually make that fact) that:

1. I don't like being told what to do or when to do it...so eat this at that time while holding a strange yoga position doesn't work for me;
2. I'm never disciplined or organised enough to have bought all the right foods, organised the fridge and safeguarded its contents from the 22 year old's non-stop eating;
3. I've never been accused of being subtle so there's some lovely perversity in calling it the subtlety diet; and
4. This might actually be something I can do.

So here's how it's going to work. Subtle changes to my habits...implemented from next week (it has to start on a Monday surely)...I'm thinking might include:

• eating breakfast every morning not just the mornings when I could be bothered or am organised enough;
• when deciding to have a biscuit with a cup of tea (which I don't do all the time, but more than I should), only one biscuit not two (yes, yes I know I shouldn't have any, but this is the subtlety diet remember);
• for every cup of tea or coffee I drink, one large glass of water follows before I can have another tea (I only ever have one coffee a day, if that) and I know I don't drink nearly enough water;

• the same goes for each glass of wine (and I do have at least two alcohol free days a week);
• drinking at least one cup of green tea or peppermint tea a day (any other teas you'd recommend);
• only one 1.25 litre bottle of diet coke per week (yes I've read all the horror stories about this drink and I have cut it out completely before but that was part of a dare)

• walking for 30 minutes two days a week (from a current base of nil that's subtle enough to start with...and I am booked in for a free ten day trial at a gym on 1 December);
• eat three pieces of fruit a day;
• substitute nuts for chocolate;

• ban myself completely from buying lollies...not subtle but absolutely necessary unless I want to become a candidate for type II diabetes...like I saw on Oprah on my day off on Wednesday; and
• when I have rice, switch from white to brown.

Now, I know full well that this is only a small, subtle start and therefore will only give me small, subtle results, but these are changes that I feel I might be able to manage and more importantly maintain before I make other, bigger ones. 
So can you help me? I do make decent meals for myself...I know all the theory. It's just the putting into practice I have problems with.
Does anyone have any other subtle ideas? Or sledge hammer ones if you must...! 
I'm off to have breakfast with friends...I'll be the one ordering the fruit and yoghurt :)

my creative space...using glass tiles

Hi everyone. I had a lovely day yesterday...experimenting...with these fabulously graphic kiln fired glass tiles. They were made by my gorgeous bloke. He let me rummage in a box of glass goodies he has tucked away and I found these...

and with the addition of these...

...and some adhesive...ta da! Groovy brooches.

That look good on white...and black (even better if I'd got rid of the fluff on that shirt!)

I'm still trying to get findings to make some into necklaces, but until then these will do...

And I'm going to order some glass and have a go myself with Richard's kiln...I'm sure he'll let me if I'm nice enough ;) 
In the meantime, there's a bit of dishcloth knitting going on...it looks much more expensive looking when you photograph it in shadow don't you think :)

And I also made another coffee sack tote...to a slightly different pattern this time that shows off more of the detail...

...so I really can't complain about my day.
You probably know the drill by now...off you go over to Kootoyoo.

the art of paper cutting ~ Emma Van Leest

I am completely besotted and intrigued by Australian artist Emma Van Leest's artwork since I saw this segment about her on Art Nation...

She says that all you need is "a piece of paper and a blade".. ah ha...I don't think so ma'am!  An enormous amount of talent more likely. And patience...oh, the patience.
Here are some examples of her work...but if you have a spare 4 minutes or so, do have a squiz at the video to see her at work...you won't be disappointed.

 Sorry I couldn't get these images any bigger without blurring the detail...

...extraordinary aren't they?

I don't know about you, but I would seriously like to go and live in one of these wonderlands :)

I'll be trying my hand at something new on my day off today...but for sure it won't involve a piece of paper and a blade! If only I could :-)

http://www.emmavanleest.com/

top ten pictures from the week ~ 16.11.10

It's only Tuesday and already I'm a very tired possum. Yesterday I decided to have a longish break over summer...so of course this first picture is a winter scene!  It's the yellow chairs and the ottoperson (no sexism in the tranquil townhouse) that's doing it for me for sure...the reindeer's pretty cool too...

via 10 rooms

 I'd really love to knit this throw...well our dumb weather's hardly been warm so forgive me for another wintery reference...

via a diary of lovely

 I think this would be the best study/studio/library/retreat in the world...especially if it was in a separate building...

via a room for everyone

 and I've got a real thing for outdoor rooms at the moment...c'mon sunshine, you can do it!

via alkemie

 and it's really odd that I'm also being drawn to grey...I've never liked grey, so why is that I wonder? Even though it's probably blue...blue grey?

via desire to inspire

 I really love this room...all the quirky things...

via luxe and lillies

 and this metal sculpture is pretty cool...

via rustic chic

 I've got some peacock feathers (thanks Allison) which makes me really want to find a small form like this and pretend I'm at the folies bergere...ooh la la

vogue living

 and this puppy vase completely cracks me up...

 

via VT interiors
and a beautiful bright Indian room for last...

via an indian summer

but who could resist this...

via 16 house

and I made this for dinner last night...quick, easy and tasty...perfect for the first day of the working week...one of Bill's

oops...just realised I forgot to add the limes...never mind :)