soul food friday...finding a focus (or just getting it done!)

I've been told a few times that I'm a doer. And that's true...up to a point. It might be more accurate to say that I'm a starter. I start lots of things. It's quite possible that I am guilty of having a short attention span or a low boredom threshold. Although I was told yesterday that I was very patient...that's because yesterday, believe me, it was very necessary!

But it has occurred to me lately that perhaps I need a focus. Perhaps all the trying my hand at this and that is distracting me from being really good, or at least a lot better at something, one thing...any bloody thing!
To illustrate: here are a few of the things that I have started and not quite finished...

• my design course (but to be fair, I have officially deferred while I sort a few things)  

• the crocheted blanket...all the squares are done, they just need to be put together (this may be because I'm not quite sure how to do it!)

• the silver chair...remember how it started off silver leafed and I did, to my credit, see the error of my ways and just paint it silver.  But have I reupholstered the seat yet? No I have not.

• the bottom part of my bedroom. I got the plastering done months ago, I bought a beautiful rug, the reading chair's been there for yonks...but have I painted it yet so that I can finally finish that room? The one room in the house that will actually be finished. Guilty as charged.

• Grace and I did a parallel post on what colour I should paint my study to highlight the red accents that are in there. Have I done anything about that? Again, no. But I have decided on white, including painting the bookshelves. The question is: what white?
• Note the 'stuff I need to deal with' file...that's now stashed somewhere under the desk so I don't need to see it!! This room has changed quite a bit since then, just not in the ways I need it to :)

• Have the chandeliers sourced by the chandelier fairy been put up? Afraid not, but I have decided where they'll go...I think. Now where's that electrician?

• Oh, and here's something REALLY funny. A few weeks ago I decided I'd write a novel. I kid you not. I've done three very impressive paragraphs. Silly bugger I am :)

I'm sure I'm not the only one with this lack of focus disease. Am I? What do you do to get stuff finished? I'd love to hear. But right now I'm off to tackle the blue and white tapestry pincushion commission...or maybe I'll go and pick up my new dining room chairs...yes, will definitely do that. Then there's the washing. I have a few new painting ideas...there's fabric galore just waiting to be made into cushions and bags...you can see my dilemma can't you!?! Sigh.
Have a lovely weekend everyone. I'll be back on Monday, hopefully with something that's finished!

Star City...what a pity

I'm here for the next two days...

 yep...a casino

working with a client...with connections to this place. For.no.other.reason. Nope. 

At least I don't have to sleep here...the first born's putting me up.

I'm not doing this...

or this...

 

or even this...

  

because apart from anything else, I doubt that this would go very far...

As it's Wednesday, I should be at home doing a bit of this...I've been asked for a blue and white pincushion...bit excited about that

But instead I'm working. Work work. Seriously.

I wish you could have come with me

...casino 'decor' is in definite need of you blogstar decorators. Which makes me wonder...is there such a thing as a chic casino?

I've been to this one...

Monte Carlo...I thought it was so glamorous...I was young...I didn't know any better :))

Back some time on Friday bloggy peeps. Till then I'll try and stay out of trouble in the big smoke...shouldn't be hard. I'm much less adventurous than I used to be!

top ten pictures from the week ~ 26.10.10

I think the addicition to pink may have resurfaced this week...

hang on a mo...I can't get blogger to move this neutral one...but I am pretty taken with those eggs...I hope the blu tac holds!

ah, there you go...more pink...

there's less of it here, but still my eye was drawn to the cushion and flowers...but eek, there's lots of blue. I don't really 'do' blue!

 

 but then, I surprise myself with the neutrals...or perhaps it's just the bath...

 or the rusticity....or perhaps just wanting to use that word...

 

but then again...a bit of boho never fails to impress me...and a faded textile or three doesn't hurt...

 or the glam of a chandelier in the kitchen...and a stuffed peacock doesn't go astray either...

it's the art in the kitchen and the doors that are doing it for me in this next one... 

and the art in this one too...

I may be a bit of a decor flibbertigibbet...

but I know what I like when I see it!

Thanks for popping by...I really wish these pictures were of my house, then I'd invite you all over for a cuppa (or something)

And by the way...it seems I can no longer count!

And don't forget this...

images via the awesomeness of: a punch of color; alkemie; belgian pearls; brabourne farm; centsational girl; glimpse of style; la maison boheme; lanalou; the decorista; the diversion project (I try really hard not to include a diversion every single week, but dammit...that Jules is too good); ticking and toile

my weekend project ~ a babushka painting for a new baby...

Nat, a work colleague had her first baby a few weeks ago...Willow Elizabeth...how gorgeous is that. And...get this...she was born at 10 p.m. on the tenth of the tenth, 2010! Now that's impressive timing and I'm sure must be very lucky.
I wanted to do another 'like no other...' painting like the one I did for a friend's baby boy...that one was cars...you can see that and the explanation for why I went with 'like no other' here. But I thought...perhaps not cars for Willow, so...

...babushkas this time. Nat likes bold colours so I wanted a reasonable contrast between the first eight and then the ninth...the 'like no other' bushka babe! I hope the first eight aren't too pastel-ly, but the contrast is the point. I started by doing all the similar ones first, after a little trial run...and some lovely feedback from my Facebook page when I posted the beginnings...thank you Tina, Kim, Jane and Sharon! Oh, and the 22 year old thought it was ok too :)

The faces were the hardest bit...I'm sure at least one of these poor 'bushkas is cross-eyed...oh well :)

 

But all in all I'm quite happy with how it turned out..just need to frame it now. And I look forward to making some more.  Perhaps butterflies? Different coloured pencils? Flowers? Any ideas you clever blogsters?

Off to work...don't the weekends fly by, more's the pity!
I'm linking up to Somewhat Simple and Someday Crafts. Please go and see what others have been up to :)

the travelling cupcake is moving on...

It's time to bid a sad farewell to Cuppie as he/she/it heads off from the tranquil townhouse...although it wasn't so tranquil for Cuppie this morning as the vampire slayer thought today was the day to take a swipe, try to swallow it...and be a complete nuisance while I was trying to take a photo of them together. You know...for old time's sake. That cat is beyond annoying.  So a photo of Cuppie and a magazine will have to do! Thankfully there are many magazines and only one cat in this place!

It was a bit difficult to choose where Cuppie should go next...but...and you know how this goes...there can only be one winner! And I've been sitting here tossing up between a few, and bearing in mind that Deb told me that being in Canberra is hardly seeing the real Australia (and because she lives here too she can say that without me getting offended!)...I've decided that Cuppie should see some more of our 'sunburnt country'...even though it's a bit soggy at the moment...before he/she/it heads off around the world some more. So, Cuppie is going Moerkabout. Deb's (a different Deb) fantastic caption to this photo...

was..."Quick close your eyes. Feral butterflies are launching an attack on your face and hair". Fun, clever and quirky...all the things I like.  The Moerks have just come back from several months travelling through central Australia, to the top end, down the west coast and back to Victoria...so they know what travelling is all about. Cuppie will be right at home!

And in other cupcake related news, the gorgeous Heather from A measure of...who passed Cuppie on to me, is having a really lovely giveaway, that despite wanting to win myself...I am compelled to share!  Go here or link up over on my sidebar. And also go and visit Diana from One Crafty Fox who started this whole thing off clever girl :)

So there you go...another Cuppie adventure awaits...can I come too!

soul food friday...being seen

I'm not going to get all philosophical this Friday. I really wanted to post this for one simple reason: it made me laugh when I saw it and that's good enough for me. I love the idea that God (or whoever or whatever you believe in) has a sense of humour. That really appeals.

And I wish I'd had this as a poster when the kids were little...the words seem different when they don't come from you!

On a slightly more serious note, the first born and I were discussing this 'quote', and her take on it was this: when someone does something horrible to you, you don't need to seek revenge or retribution, get them back, play tit for tat. You can let it go. Simply because they've been 'seen' and the universe will sort it out. I like that too. We're looked after.

But mostly I think it's funny :)

Thanks so much everyone for a terrific week. Your comments are always so supportive, fun and an absolute pleasure to read. You make my day, every day.

Last chance for your turn at hosting the cupcake...go here if you want to enter.

image from bits of truth

my creative space...some finished things!

If you Facebook with me you'll know that I had big plans for yesterday, but I think we know by now that nothing I try ever ends up being straightforward. But yesterday I did manage to get some things done...

I am completely in love with my tapestry cube pincushion and I'm just enjoying it on the coffee table for the moment. Or throwing it at the vampire slayer when she gets annoying! Which is often. Don't worry, it's soft :) This is what it started out like..

My friend Chris said it looks like a whole lot of mini persian rugs...exactly what I was aiming for!!

The A4 watercolour has found a home in an IKEA frame from my weekend in Sydney...alas, it can't be hung until I've finished painting the bedroom!

And what was meant to be a little makeup purse made from oilcloth...

ended up being made from cotton and lined with the oilcloth instead (which comes from Simone's shop by the way).  It's ok...I need to perfect a few things before I make some more, but it's useable I think!

Off on a flying visit to Sydney for a few hours today. While I'm doing that why don't you head over to Kirsty's...and see what the crafting geniuses have been up to...that's where I'll be going when I get home :)

p.s. I was meant to be making cushions!
all images by me...

top ten pictures from the week ~ 19.10.10 and a 'species' named just for me!

Well here we are at another Tuesday (for some of us anyway). Monday kicked into touch thank goodness.

 It's not a day I'm particularly fond of...

 perhaps I should do something about my attitude!

 it's a bit of a mixed bag this week...don't think I've had a kitchen before

and we go from a quite formal outdoor courtyard... 

 to a shabby indoors with more than a touch of the grand...

 and you know hot pink's my favourite...

 but I'm very taken with all these golden tones...

 and I could see myself spending some time somewhere like this...curled up with a good book and a G&T...if only the weather would behave!

and I'm old enough to remember seeing this movie...at the movies!! Loving the brights...

 and the not so...

and the most exciting thing...get this...

my very lovely bloggy friend and super talented artist Kerri painted this in my favourite colour and named it just for me...'Euthora Magenta Martinus'

...and if that doesn't make me feel special I don't know what would! Spoilt I am :))

images this week are from 10 rooms, 16 house, brabourne farm, decorology, design sponge, designers block, desire to inspire, driftwood interiors, home, live like you, the decorista, the diversion project.