It'll be all white....

...with a few unexpected hits of blue thrown in for good measure. What will? My beach house, of course. I found this stunner some time ago, and it had me at hello. Whitewashed walls + killer views + pops of colour = perfection in my book.

all images courtesy atcasa.corriere.it

Well, a girl can dream, can't she?

My Australia Day

After all the recent dramas here in Queensland, it was nice to get away and appreciate just how amazing this country of ours really is. We loaded up the crew and headed north to Noosa, and spent a lazy day swimming, eating fresh prawns on the beach and generally enjoying a picture-perfect day Australia Day:

 the mr's first attempt at a panorama shot 

The beach, fresh prawns, a drink or two......can't think of a better way to celebrate all that's great about living in this fantastic country of ours. Hope you all had a great day too.

Into the blue...and jogging my memory

It's no secret that I love me a bit of blue. Indigo, cobalt, azure, turquoise, aqua......love 'em all. So when I saw this month's issue of Veranda magazine, it was enough to whet my appetite.

via kirstenkelli.com

I know I'm not alone here. I saw this pic on the lovely Judy's blog, Verandah House today:

...not only did I fall in love with all the gorgeous blues, it also reminded me of a commission I did some time ago. I thought I'd lost these photos when my old desktop computer died, but after some sleuthing I managed to find them. Thanks Judy!

'Into the Blue I'

'Into the Blue II and III'

Lends a whole new meaning to 'feeling blue', doesn't it?

Back in Blogland again

I must apologize for my absence over the past week or so. Personally, I've found it really hard to post about pretty houses when so many Queenslanders have tragically lost theirs. My heart just hasn't been in it, so instead I've tried to focus on ways to help. Last weekend, my sister, daughter and I spent some time out at Old Dog Farm, an animal refuge that specializes in re-homing dogs, particularly those in their twilight years. The farm is on the northern outskirts of Brisbane, and to see the devastation was truly heartbreaking. Fortunately, most of the dogs were still safely in foster care over the Christmas break, but the rebuilding process will take some time, and quite a bit of money. Best Friends Animal Rescue do an amazing job helping animals in need, so if you'd like to learn more about the fantastic work they do, head on over here.

As I mentioned in my last post, the profits from my Etsy shop for the remainder of January will be donated to charity. So many people will be needing help in the coming months, but my aim is to also help the animals who have suffered so terribly. So, here's my latest painting, which will has just been added to my shop:

Sea Coral III in Denim

Oh, and some very exciting news - my fabulous new printer arrived yesterday! I'll now be able to produce my fine art, archival-quality prints in-house, which makes life much easier. New works will be added to my Etsy shop over the next week, so please check it out - it's for a very good cause. And for those of you who have already purchased artwork - thank you so much. Your generosity will make the world of difference.

Ok, that's it from me today. Thanks for bearing with me over the past couple of weeks, and for your wonderful emails and words of support. I know I've said it before, but this community we have here is truly special. Before I go, I can't help but mention some really exciting things that I'll be sharing with you very soon. You know how it is - I just can't resist a good teaser!

Queensland Flood Appeal - Bloggers unite!

This blogging community never ceases to amaze me. I have truly never met such a supportive and generous bunch in my life, and in times of need, they go above and beyond. First, there was Digella's Baked Relief, and now, bloggers have started donating profits from their online stores to support those in need. The lovely Janette from My Sweet Prints started the ball rolling, by announcing that 10% of the profits from sales over the next two weeks will be donated, which is so generous. And today, the gorgeous Tina from Rubie's Place has decided to donate all profits from sales for the month of January. which is absolutely fantastic.

I thought that was such a great idea that I'm going to steal it (thanks Tina!) - for the rest of January, all profits from my Etsy shop will be donated to the flood appeal. So, if you're in the market for some unique artwork, or hand-made goodies, now is the time to dig deep and help those who so badly need it. Take a peek at just a little of what's on offer:

from my Etsy store - Sea Coral in Cobalt

courtesy Janette at My Sweet Prints

courtesy Tina at Rubie's Place

Thanks girls, you are truly inspirational!

Digella's Baked Relief

Just popping in quickly this morning to say a heartfelt thank you for all your messages and well-wishes. We're so thankful to be safe and sound where we are, particularly when so many others haven't been so lucky. My heart goes out to those families who have lost friends and loved ones, it's absolutely heartbreaking.

I wanted to let you know that the lovely Digella has been working tirelessly to offer some relief to the rescue effort, by way of delivering baked goods to SES centres around Brisbane. She's done an amazing job, and if there are any Brissie bloggers able to help, head on over to her blog for all the details. My eldest daughter and I have spent the morning baking, which is such a small thing to help on our part, but I know it's the little things that sometimes make all the difference.

Take care everyone,

Nature's fury

 no way out of our suburb yesterday

 our street

Thinking of everyone in Brisbane today.

Changes afoot

It's a new week and I'm back in work mode (well sort of, anyway). I have lots of renovation plans for the year, so yesterday I braved the rain and headed off to Ikea. One of my xmas presents was a gift card, so of course I couldn't wait to see what goodies were on offer. I had planned to take some pics while I was there, but you know how it is - once I arrived I completely forgot.

I was looking for a few things in particular - I need a new work desk and storage for my studio, an ergonomic chair, and desk for the soon-to-be-renovated home office....none of which I managed to get. I'm thinking that this arrangement would be perfect for my studio:

the vika artur combination from Ikea

And then I saw that Laura Trevey uses the same desk in her gorgeous studio:

lauratrevey.com

Of course, it was out of stock, so I'll be heading back in the next couple of weeks. I also need something like this from Pottery Barn:

.....which I'm completely smitten with. I know I'd be so organized if I had this set-up - pity they don't ship to Australia. I'll be on the hunt for something similar.

Another thing on my list is some Lack shelving. These are so versatile, they come in different sizes and colours, and are perfect for display and storage of all the necessities:

via apartmenttherapy.com

Oh, and this too....

the alex drawer unit

But the hardest thing to find - a decent chair that's not only comfortable, but easy on the eye. I hurt my back a few years ago, so finding the right chair is at the top of my list, but sooo difficult. There is a real gap in the market if there are any furniture designers reading this post!

That's just the beginning of what I have planned for this year, and I'll share all the pics as soon as I can. I do love starting the year off with a project - what's on your to-do list for 2011?

2011 - Bring it On!

Instead of the usual 'resolutions' this year, I've decided to try something different. You see, I'm the sort of person who absolutely loves beginnings - the endless possibilities, the excitement of starting something new, the adrenalin rush.....but the problem can be keeping that enthusiasm going once the honeymoon stage is over. So, I've decided to have a list of goals for the year, broken down into achievable 'bites', with some nice little rewards along the way to keep things moving along. I've tried to keep the list short enough to be realistic, but challenging enough to keep me interested. So, here are a few of my goals for the year:

1. I'm going to spend more time on my larger paintings on canvas again. After my works on paper took off so well, my plan for the year is to find a balance between the two, as I must admit, I miss the big, messy fun of working on canvas. I have so many ideas, so my plan is to spend one day every week on the larger works.

'Linger'

mixed media on canvas, 1000mm x 1000mm

private commission

2. I'm going to get my full website up and running - at long last. I'll be displaying works in situ, so you'll see what the painting actually looks like in a room, and there will be the option to buy each painting with the click of a button. I also have lots more goodies in store, but until they're all ready to go, I can't say too much. Watch this space!

3. I'll be continuing with my renovations here at home. Now that the pool is looking all pretty and brand-spankin', the landscaping is seriously letting the side down. So that's definitely on the plan for the year, as well as finishing my en suite, home office, dining area......you know how it is.

Some of Jamie Durie's handiwork - love it.

source

Pretty, no? 

Of course, I have many, many more things on my 'to-do' list for 2011, but you know what? I'm not going to kill myself to get them done. They journey is at least half the fun, and for me, planning all the big things to come is so exciting in itself. So take a breath, relax, and enjoy the ride - that's my motto for the year. 

2010 was fantastic on so many levels, and a big part of that was starting this blog. It seriously changed my life - big call I know, but true. And the best part - meeting all of you. You are the best. Thank you. Oh, and if any of you are thinking of starting your own blog, but haven't - do it. Be brave. Put yourself out there. You won't regret it. 

Actually, I'm going to change my mind, and add one, and only one resolution that really says it all (thanks Nike). My resolution for 2011 - 'Just Do It'.