CULLING AND SORTING

Happiness is all about savouring tiny pleasures.

Tammy Strobel

Yesterday the temperature rose to 42 degrees Celsius. It was very hot. Thank goodness it is so much cooler and overcast today- a pleasant 23 degrees.

Art around the house

 During my cleaning and sorting recently,  I have come across pieces of art done by my daughters over the years.

Tucked away in a pile of papers I found these pictures by my elder daughter J. These were probably done about 15 years ago when she was 18.

Early art by J

 

Early art by J

Early art by J

 J has always worked with organic shapes and earthy colours. Her most recent exhibition was highlighted in the post of Sunday, 18th November, Peltry and Pumpkin Soup.

The genesis of J's later work below can be seen in her earlier drawings above.

Work from J's most recent exhibition

Work from J's most recent exhibition.

 The building

P:-) continues to work on my back room.

 The batons have been put on the walls and ceiling, ready for the plaster board and now P:-) is working on electricals and has put in some temporary lights.

 

Cooking

I cooked my first meal from Jamie's 15 Minute Meals by Jamie Oliver. It was the Chicken Tikka Lentil, Spinach and Naan Salad on page 26.

It took me longer than 15 minutes to cook -  that was largely because I had to keep looking back at the recipe. But it was quite delicious.

Simplifying life

As part of my quest for simplifying my life I am tidying and culling.  One of my bedrooms is full of boxes of old school stuff (I used to be a teacher ) and other sundry stuff. Most of this has come from the backroom that P:-) is working on.

This is J's old bedroom. Once I have sorted everything out she will need to get rid of the books or move them to her flat. The books below are just a small proportion of her books.  

  Interesting sites

1.

Photo source

Click here to check out the houses with slides or slippery-dips in them.



2.

Boost your happiness with gratitude. Click here to find out how. 

3.

Photo source

 To meet the gorgeous Peacock Spider click here.

DECONSTRUCTING YOUR BRAIN

...that best portion of a good man's life, his little, nameless, unremembered, acts of kindness and of love.

William Wordsworth

 

 

 

Today I started Project 333.  This is an e-course to help me sort out my clothes and wardrobe.

This is all in the cause of me downsizing to a smaller place.

 

Source

 

Day One.

"Today you won't be reconstructing your closet, you'll be deconstructing your brain."

 

That's good. My brain needs deconstructing. I am currently reading a book called The Brain That Changes Itself by Norman Doidge. It is about brain plasticity and the way brains can be changed and rewired. When it comes to clothes I need rewiring.

 

There are a number of questions to answer. 

 

What are your 3 favourite outfits?

Answer: I don't have any. I think I hate all my clothes.

 

What pieces in your closet would you never wear?

Answer: There are none I would never wear. They just don't fit.  

 

Why are they still there?

Answer: I plan they will fit some day.

 

Describe your lifestyle.

Answer: Fairly casual. No longer working but in and out a lot. Reasonably active. Don't do a lot of entertaining.

 

Do you create a different version of yourself through your clothing for your different activities?

Answer: (Lol) If only.     

 

Do you love a good sale?

Answer: Too much

 

Are there pieces in your closet that you got for 50% off but still have tags on?

Answer: Yes. I hate to try things on in shops and I hate to try them on when I bring them home in case they don't fit. And yes, when I eventually try them on,often they don't fit.

 

If you could start over and buy all new clothing, what items would you include in your list?

 Answer: I would buy good fitting jeans and black trousers. I have no idea what else.

 

I now have to sleep on these questions and go to a Private Facebook Group and share any revelations I get from my answers.

 

This is what I wrote on Facebook.

I answered the questions from Day 1 and discovered what a boring person I am in regard to clothes. (Lol) I will be interested to see if my answers change much over 3 months.

All in all Day 1 of Project 333 was quite good. I didn't actually have to do anything much.

 

 Harry the Hallway Lizard revisited

By the way, I popped a photo of Harry the Hallway Lizard (from my last post)  on Facebook and thanks to my niece A, discovered he is a Southern Leaf Tailed Gecko .

 

 

 

 

 

Interesting sites

1.

Click here to read about this interesting house in Korea.

 

 

2.

Click here to view Singapore Gardens by the Bay.

3.

Click here to view  some  unique and spectacular staircases.

HARRY THE HALL LIZARD

 Not in rewards, but in the strength to strive, the blessing lies.
J. T. Towbridge  

Harry the Hall Lizard

I stepped into my front hall last night and nearly trod on this lizard standing stock still. He didn't even twitch when I used the camera flash on him.

I don't know what type of lizard it is. In 32 years of living here have never seen a lizard like this before. P:-) suggested that it looks like the type of lizard that drops its tail when confronted by danger, and I have to agree that his tail looks like a copy of his head.

Here is a slightly closer look. Until I looked closely I thought he was a dried leaf. He was about 10cm from nose tip to tail end.

By morning he had disappeared - probably back outside under my front door.


Flower fairies


As I go through all my stuff and sort it I come across many things I have forgotten. (I have been made redundant from my teaching job and will need to move to a smaller home and cull much of my stuff)

I made these naive flower fairies a few years ago and used them to decorate my Christmas tree. They have sat in a bowl in the cupboard ever since. The colours are so cheerful I thought they were worth a photo or two.

I was going to put these in the toy box we have at P:-)'s place for his grandchildren but on second thoughts I decided they were a bit sharp in places and probably not good for little mouths to suck so they were relegated to oblivion.


An e-course to help tidy the bedroom

I have signed up for Project 333 by Courtney. 

Photo source

 This is an e-course It is described as a 'minimalist fashion challenge that invites you to dress with less and discover what is most important in your closet and your life.'

It is supposed to help you sort out your clothes and wardrobe. 

I need help. I am a hoarder by nature. I struggle with my weight and it has varied over the last few years. I went from pretty big to quite thin back to somewhere in the middle. I have kept my 'thin' clothes because I AM going to get thinner. I got rid of my really big clothes, or my Mum took them in so they fitted when I was thinner. I don't have a big cupboard and so I have to admit various piles of clothes sit around on the floor. Half of my clothes don't fit. I have to do something about this if I am going to down size my housing - I can't fit my clothes into the space I have now never mind smaller! But where to start? I hope Project 33 will help. It cost $19.95 and if it can inspire me it will be well worth it.

I will let you know how it goes.

Interesting sites

1.

Photo source

 Colorful container restaurants popped up in London during the Design Festival. Click here to view some.



2.

Photo source

 I love terrariums. Click here to view some lovely ones.

3.

Photo source

Click here to checkout some interesting art work by Ben Heine with pencil drawings overlaid on coloured photos and paintings

MUM'S 80TH AND BEDROOM VIEWS

 Men for the sake of getting a living forget to live.
Margaret Fuller

Vintage image of plumes

Mum's 80th Birthday
On Saturday 24 members of our family celebrated Mum's 80th birthday. They were all her children, grandchildren and great-grandchildren, and their partners. Sadly 2 of her grandchildren were unable to make it.We went to the Windjammers Restaurant in the Novotel at North Wollongong.

Set up for the party

We had a great family get together, with some family members coming from Canberra and Melbourne.

Yummy birthday cake

My mother is very fit and able for an eighty year old. It is really hard to think of her as that age. She still drives and keeps herself very busy with church related activities.

Views from my bedroom
P:-) was doing some work on my roof this afternoon. This required him to climb out my bedroom window.

P:-) on the roof outside my bedroom window

Once the window is open I can't help but admire the view.

View from my window

 I was a bit worried about the plants growing in the guttering.

Plants growing in the guttering.

 P:-) pulled the plants out.

I love my house and surrounds. I love coming home to it. It needs a lot doing to it and a lot of the garden fixed up, but the more I live here, the more I love it. I am very lucky to live somewhere so beautiful.



 Interesting sites

 1.

Photo credit

 This is a castle made of junk. Click here to read about it.

2.

Photo credit

 Click here to see some beautiful and unusual jewellery made by Bandscapes.

3.

Photo credit

  Click here to see photos of this giant skeleton.

JASPER AND THE SALVO'S BARGAINS

 The highest level of unselfish thinking comes when you give of yourself to another person for their personal development or well-being.

John Maxwell  (Thinking For A Change)

Jasper the grand-dog

Daughter R and I took Jasper, her little dog for a walk and I couldn't resist showing you some photos. I just love him.

Jasper

Jasper is a little Miniature Fox Terrier.

Jasper

Jasper really enjoys his walks.

Jasper

Jasper has a very cute face.

Jasper

Purchases from the Salvo's

I took my usual fortnightly trip to the Salvos with some things to donate and of course came away with a few things.

I bought this pretty cushion with ribbon embroidery, and a couple of baskets for storage in my craft room.

Cushion with ribbon embroidery

Closeup of ribbon embroidery

 I also bought a couple of books. This will mean taking 4 books back to the Salvo's. My rule is that for every book that I bring into the house, 2 go out.

Books purchased.

I also purchased an oil painting in an old frame.

Painting purchased.

I bought this picture for the frame. It was only $3. I shall paint the frame gold and plan to put something of my own in it. It will go in my bedroom. I am going to decorate my bedroom with a unifying theme of gold, blue and green, and fill it with interesting things that don't fit in the rest of the house.


Interesting sites

1.

Photo credit

 This little prefab house is just perfect. Click here to see some more pictures.

2.

Photo credit

 Click here to see some clever word pictures. Be sure to watch the video.

3.

Photo credit

Click here to see some great pictures of Montreal's snow village.