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'. 

 

My art in the press....

Morning all! I thought I'd pop in to let you know that I've been featured in an article written by Paddy Hintz, a journalist at The Courier Mail newspaper here in Brisbane.

You can check out the full article here. Thanks so much Paddy for the feature.

Hope you all had a wonderful Christmas. We had a lovely day, shared with family who joined us here for lots of food, a drink or two and the traditional Singstar challenge which lasted well into the wee hours. I'm sure our neighbours thank their lucky stars we live on acreage, as none of us could remotely be described as singers, but what we lack in talent we more than make up for with enthusiasm! Today the crew have braved the dismal weather and headed off to Noosa, which leaves me with the whole day to myself. I'm looking forward to doing nothing more than mooching around, enjoying a good book and a dvd or two, and after the frantic lead-up to the big day, I can't think of anything I'd rather be doing. 

Hope Santa was kind to you all, and I'm looking forward to catching up with your news over the next few weeks. I have lots of exciting plans for this little blog of mine, and I can't wait to share them with you all. I love the start of a new year - so many exciting possibilities!

Thanks, and Merry Christmas!

As I write this post this morning, I've spent a little time looking back on the past year, and what a year it was. After years of lurking in blogland, religiously devouring all of my favourites each day, I finally took the plunge and started my own little blog. I thought I'd find decorating inspiration and some great ideas, which of course I have, but I've found so much more than that. I've found a wonderful, supportive community of like-minded people, who are so generous with their time, energy and friendship, and it's been an absolute pleasure to meet each and every one of you. Thank you for being so wonderful, for your sweet comments, funny quips, great advice, fabulously inspiring projects......but most of all, thanks for making the last ten months so fantastic.You really are the best.

To end the year, I thought I'd revisit a few of my favourite pics - after all, what better way to wrap up things up than with some serious eye candy?

a little Round Hill magic

just because

my dream art studio courtesy of the uber-talented Steve and Brooke Gianetti

seriously stylish coastal style

I finally painted my kitchen white

the inspiration behind the makeover of my timber ceiling

some Meg Braff magic

the gorgeous home of Maggie Tabberer

...and I'll leave you with some festive season decorating Ralph Lauren-style

So, from my family to you and yours, have a wonderful Christmas and holiday season. I'll be taking a little blogging break, but I'm really looking forward to catching up with you all again soon. See you in 2011!

Last chance!

Just a quick reminder that today is the last day of the 20% off sale in my Etsy shop. Last orders will be posted tomorrow, and then I'll be taking a break until the 18th January. Thanks so much everyone for your overwhelming support, and I can't wait to share all my plans for the new year. I finished my very last original painting yesterday - a new addition to my blue and white Chinoiserie series:

'Ginger Jar in Cobalt'

original watercolour on paper

Right, I'm off to finish decorating the house, ready for Christmas day. Thankfully, the pool is now finished and ready to go, and although the forecast is for rain, rain and more rain, it's actually a beautiful day here today. So I'm going to make the most of it and get the place looking all pretty and festive,  and play with a few ideas I have for zhushing up the table. In general, I plan to enjoy one of the only summery days we've had in ages! 

Hope you all have a great day, and I'll catch you all soon.

Thinking of Jane

For those of you who also have Jane in their thoughts today as she undergoes surgery, you can pop on over to Martha's blog to send a message to her.

Let's hope this wonderful, generous community can help her support her through this.

just a little watercolour painting especially for Jane

For Jane

One of the most wonderful things about blogging is the sense of community it engenders. I received an email from the lovely Martha over at Just Martha this morning, asking me to join with her in sending some love and support to Jane over at My Pear Tree House. Of course, I'm only too happy to help in any way I can, and I know there will be many others who feel the same. So if you'd like to send some positive thoughts to the gorgeous Jane, I'm sure she'd appreciate it, and you can also pop on over to Martha's blog for more on how we can do our little bit.

a little bit of lovely for the lovely Jane - courtesy Chris Chun

Road trip

I'm planning a little trip away, to one of my favourite parts of the world - Byron Bay and the hinterland town of Bangalow. Although I'm combining business and pleasure in this trip, I can't think of a nicer place to 'work'! My first point of call is my all-time favourite shop - Island Luxe.

images courtesy Shannon Fricke

 maybe a bite to eat

it's such a gorgeous, laid-back town

On to Byron, to visit Strangetrader:

...and everything else Byron has to offer

I can't wait! What have you got planned for the summer?