Red around the house

I've been inspired to create lately. But I'm struggling with the time. Where does it go? When I get home from work, it seems to be 10 p.m. before I realise. There is so much I want to do but don't have time for.

One simple creative exploit I've gotten up to was inspired by a meme I've been part of. The meme is in my last post, and shares bits of your home with others. So I checked out my home and took some happy snaps. The photos are a mix of made, found and bought items. Some I love and treasure. Some I stumbled upon while taking the pictures. But all are red. Ah, red... Such an inspirational colour for me. It is somewhat gender neutral. It goes with brown and green (the fella's preferences), and is okay with pink too at a pinch. It wears well, is classic and classy.


Red inspiration
Originally uploaded by the_bashful_owl

1. Red cake tins, 2. Red sewing bits, 3. Red toes and the cat, 4. Red softie legs, 5. Red twinkle toes, 6. Red sewing scissors, 7. Red sewing threads, 8. Red quick-unpick, 9. Red rebound book back, 10. Red cushions, 11. Red Swedish Mustard, 12. Red tropical flowers

By the bed "My place and yours"

By the bed "My place and yours"
Originally uploaded by the_bashful_owl

Week 2 of the "My Place and Yours" meme from Meet Me at Mikes. This week I was taken aback to realise how much extra stuff I deposit next to my bed. And how I don't remove it once it is there. For example, I've got some panadine forte there, from a knee operation that I have over two months ago. And I didn't need the pain killers after it anyway. Plus there are some hair bands there, and I now have short hair... I think I need to clean up a little.

What I love about my bedside is more clear in the picie at the top. I just love my lamp, with it's "glass" base. I love the earring holder that is on the wall. My fella originally made it for me, constructing a standing frame taunt with mesh. But in time it's little legs got wobbly. So I was given a frame from Ris, added some pink silk behind the mesh and embellished it with a patch and fancy stitching. Now days I don't tend to wear dangling earrings, but love the tactile nature of such a precious creation.

Back to the mess, it contains some necessities. Such as the alarm clock, red nail polish (living in the tropics means year-round nice toes if you please), pearl studs, papaya all-purpose balm and a chunky bangle. And all within arm's reach.

By the bed details.
Originally uploaded by the_bashful_owl

By the by, the book I'm reading is intense and amazing. Please check it out if you are feeling strong in your spirit and wanting a haunting, moving, enticing read. Norwegian Wood by Haruki Murakami.

Penelope's weaving...

I've been pondering my lack of knowledge around history and myths lately. After all, the education system is just not what it used to be! Children are not taught Latin as due course, nor was I learned in the history of ancient civilisations. And my awareness of Greek mythology is sorely lacking. So I've been visiting the library and uncovering sleeping gems.

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Recently I've been reading a modern tale of Odysseus and Penelope. Odysseus leaves his wife to fight in a battle to return Helen to her husband. But he does not return. As Penelope is an intelligent woman, she becomes prosperous in his absence. And that is when the suitors come knocking. All 120 or so of them want her hand (but mainly her riches and kingdom) in marriage. In order to dissuade them and remain faithful to her husband, she weaves a shroud and promises to marry the most valiant suitor when the shroud is completed. But each night it is unwoven, and thus never grows...

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Dear Penelope was not beautiful, she did not insight wars or have hundreds of men die in her honour as her cousin Helen of Troy did. Rather she was known for her wits and her persistent faithfulness to her husband. And for her craft skills. Here is her take on the matter..

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The teaching of crafts to girls has fallen out of fashion now, I understand, but luckily it had not in my day. It's always an advantage to have something to do with your hands. That way, if someone makes an inappropriate remark, you can pretend you haven't heard it. Then you don't have to answer. The Penelopiad, Margaret Atwood.

Blogging games, I'm joining in...

Hurrah, discovered blog-link funtimes care of Meet Me At Mikes.

I've not played these sorts of games before, and those involved seem like the nice sharing kind. But alas, we still don't have a great functioning camera. One has been interstate for about 6 weeks now being repaired. The other went in yesterday to a fantastically bespoke little store. We climbed up a flight of stairs in an undusted narrow passage. A carved red door was on the right, and behind it was a camera repair lady! She had shelf after shelf of SLR lenses. She had little buckets with caps and bolts and bits and pieces. She said she will tell us in a week if the camera can be repaired.

Back to the theme, my shelves are not as fun as the camera lady's. But here is a camera phone photo of my treasured things that are grouped together on a shelf.

My clever mum cross-stitched the eggplants for me. My darling sisters bought me the pink tea-pot (on the left) and cups. They discovered it in the Oxfam shop in Camberwell. So nice of them, and it was a great birthday gifty five (five!) years ago. The pink thermos gathers preposterous amounts of mould on it's cloth-covered cork stopper, but is perfect for transporting warm honeyed chai tea in. The little tea cup and saucer tucked behind is a treasured op shop find, one that made me wonder why someone felt the need to give it away. Lots of lovely things. Lots of pink, lots of love and lots of little details. Loveliness, on a shelf.


I hope I remember to participate next week...

Monday doings...

I'm hoping to get a lot done today. So far, a few loads of washing have gone into the machine and the first pot of coffee has been brewed. Although it was wonderful to have friends visiting, none of the usual house jobs got done. So today is the day. As much as a abhor cleaning, ironing, washing dishes, putting things away, vacuuming floors, removing cobwebs, etc, these tasks are necessities. And I've not yet employed that maid.

But in the midst of jobs, I'm hoping to do a number of more enjoyable tasks. Watching the end of Amelie perhaps before returning it to the library. Completing an inventory of items for removal for when we are moving down south soon. Working on the quilting of an ugly-but-perhaps-loved quilt. Finishing off a toy cow for my bestie's sister's baby. Wrapping some Christmas gifties and packing them into a "do not pack into the truck" box (we arrive in our new home on Christmas eve). Thinking about how to jazz up a filing cabinet... Sounds fun!

Some inspiration to get me though the morning's chores... and you through whatever is going on. Happy days...

Image from designspongeonline.com . This is an old before and after created by Abha. Not so sure about the flowers, but love the colour and the ideas...

Martha Stewart has a photo gallery of just about everything. This image is the first in her series of Christmas gift wrapping ideas. From this, they flow thick and fast. Oh for some pinking shiers.

Friends and fun-times

We took yesterday off to spend time with friends from down South. It was a wonderful day, full of laughts, fun and silliness. We went and saw the spectacular jumping crocs on the Adelaide River, we swam at Florence Falls and dipped in the Buley Rockholes. Laksa for tea and a game of Risk topped it off. Hurrah! We really do live in an amazing part of Australia!

This morning coffee, conversation around copyright law relating to internet technology and some good video hits have hit things off. A taste the morning if you please....

Pst... I've finally figured out how to post YouTube vids. So stoked! Thanks to this blog post for making it happen, and to the Blog Doc for some tips too. In light of my success, any good YouTube vids that you recommend I peruse?

Strange things to embroider...

Given that my last post was about feeling flat and uninspired, I can understand if people will worry with this one. But fear not, my mental health is good and I have been encouraged (thanks Maudry!). Rather, while trawling some blog or another I found these images. They were created by an army wife in the U.S. Given that it is Mental Health Week, I'm all for promoting destigmatisation of mental health issues. I'm also all for promoting craftiness. Will I be embroidering my favourite psychotropic drug onto some cutesie linnen? I think not. I will will smile and giggle when looking at these.

I just don't know what to do with myself...

How does one find inspiration?

I'm going through a dry patch, and there does not appear to be much rain in sight. I can't be bothered reading, I can't complete any crafting, my healthy eating may be slipping, where has my solid night's sleep gone too?

So, I'm in a rut. Perhaps it was resigning from my job due to our move in a few months. Perhaps is not helping that I don't know where we will be in three months. Perhaps it is that my fella keeping coming home and then going away again unexpectedly. Perhaps it is that someone I worked with died suddenly in the context of tragedy. Ahhhhhhh! I need to get going, really I do.

What will work? Perhaps it could be the lovely letter my bestie Ris wrote to me that arrived today! Perhaps it will be finally finishing off this baby jumper for little Sam. Perhaps it will be dreaming of future renovations while perusing Design Sponge's blog. Perhaps going to a debriefing session around the death tomorrow will help. perhaps I just need to take some time out, read a good book and have some time talking with God. Perhaps we need a fixed and functional digital camera (will it ever be fixed?). Maybe gifts of love like Maudry's heart will help.

Any ideas...