Hiatus

I’ve blogged every day for the nearly 4 years now, give or take a few glitches and accidental deletions. To date I’ve written around 1245 posts, and used countless of my own photos or photos curated from the Internet and Pinterest. There’s 8.1 GB of data on my WordPress account.

It’s time for my yearly WordPress Premium subscription to be renewed. It isn’t cheap, at AU $129 per year, but for the last few years I’ve managed somehow. 

Until now. I figured, all that data is just sitting there doing nothing. I’m basically paying for data storage. I’d like to print excerpts or the entirety of my blog into book form, as my memoirs for my son Jack to read when he’s older. 

So, after an online chat with a very savvy tech named Alvaro from WordPress, I’m downgrading my WordPress subscription from Premium to Personal ($53 per year). I’ll still get all the benefits of a Premium account, only I won’t get as much data storage, only 6 GB. Which is okay, as once I’ve migrated my older posts off to an archive for converting into a book, I’ll free up space so I can write again. 

And if I keep archiving my posts every year, I’ll have a nice Memoir out of them at the end of every year.

So, this is me saying “Au Revoir” for a while, taking a sabbatical, a hiatus from blogging. Don’t worry, it’s only while I springclean my blog and free up more space. 

I’ll be researching the best platform for converting my blog posts into book format. There are quite a few out there, and I’m sure I’ll find one that fits exactly what I’m looking for.

So don’t worry, folks. In the words of Arnold Schwarzenegger in the Terminator films,”I’ll be back”. Sooner than you think! 😉

Odd, Wobbly Ceramics

I love these ceramic plates, bowls, spoons etc made the good old-fashioned way by artists, and not by machine. There’s been no effort to make each piece exactly the same as the next. No two pieces are alike, no two even stand or sit exactly evenly. You can clearly see all their bumps, wobbly bits and other imperfections. In fact, you could say they wear them with great pride.

That’s exactly how they’re unique, each and every one of them. Just like us human beings. WE are all unique in our own way, with all our imperfections, faults and blemishes. Our differences, be they cultural, racial, mental or physical, need to be celebrated, not treated with suspicion or ostracised or cast aside. 

Each one of us has our role to play, in our own way. We are not what we do for a living. Don’t think of our disabled brothers and sisters as dis-abled, but rather en-abled for achieving what they are achieving. Don’t look down on the elderly and infirm – they were once our leaders and movers and shakers. And we will be like them too, when age catches up with us all. So, be kind.

Everyone is different in their own way. Don’t let Society tell you that you have to conform to one way of thinking or one way of being. Being a sheep and part of a flock is the safe option, to be sure…but once you’ve woken up, it’s hard to go back to sheep.

Here, enjoy these beautiful, unique, wonky, imperfect ceramics (courtesy of Pinterest):

Cosy Coffee Corner

So, after years of my verandah being a junk collection of assorted pots with a variety of plants in various stages of life and death (can you tell I’m not very good at gardening?), I decided to tidy up and create a cosy coffee corner for myself. 

The lucky find of a round glass-topped table for just $10 at a thrift store was my incentive to change things around.

First, I cleared the verandah of everything, so I’d have a clean slate to play with. Then, I put the glass-topped round table in one corner and rearranged some potted plants around it and on top of it, til it pleased the eye.

It was good, but it lacked something.

So I went and Manifested some garden chairs to go with it, to create a cosy corner where I could sit and read or relax or play chess with my son Jack.

When I say I Manifested some garden chairs, I mean I simply thought about getting some garden chairs, envisioned a couple of them around the glass-topped round table, and kept thinking about that vision every day, whenever I was out and about driving from one dog visit to another.

Et voila! A few days later, I decided out of the blue to return some library books. As I was driving down the road, what did I see but 3 garden chairs stacked up on someone’s verge for anyone to take. 

The Council designates dates every year for different neighbourhoods to throw out their junk for what they call “verge collection”. Once stuff hits the grassy verges outside homes, if you see it and you want it, you better be quickest to it! Some people drive their cars with trailers behind them, scouring every road in the neighbourhood for salvageable junk, which they’ll clean up, repair or give a fresh lick of paint, and then try and sell on Gumtree (Australia’s version of Craigslist) or at car boot sales.

I made a note to check out the garden chairs on my way back from the library. If they were still there, and they had indeed been thrown out, and if they weren’t too shabby or broken, I’d take them. If they fit in my car, that is.

And Thank You, Universe! Yes, they were still there on my way back! I pulled over and had a quick look at my finds. One of the chairs had really rusted front and back legs, but the other 2 were fine. They were the plastic fake-wicker type of 1960s chairs, almost black in colour. 

Into the car they went, in a jiffy. 

Perfect! The chair with the wonky legs went to the side of our pool area, but the other 2 were exactly perfect for my corner. 

But…now I need some cushions to go with them.

Manifest, manifest, manifest! On my next drive, I told myself that the perfect cushions for my 2 chairs would be at the first thrift store I went to. I visualised a botanical theme to the cushions, maybe flowers or butterflies, some greens and reds. They’d be in the section where cushions were displayed, and they’d be ridiculously cheap.

And there they were. They were even sitting next to each other. 2 fat cushions for the back of the chairs, and 2 flatter ones for the seats. The 2 fat ones had butterflies, a ladybird and the letter “B” on one, and birds, leaves and writing on the other. The 2 flat ones were a plain dark green.

Perfect again! Thank You, Universe!

I’ll need to rinse off the dirt from my verandah again, as I did some more rearranging of my flower pots and troughs to fit the table and chairs in the corner. So, please excuse the dirt on the floor…but I now present to you my new Cosy Coffee Corner.

Total cost: AU $18

Table $10

Chairs FREE

Cushions $8 ($2 each)

Now I just have to Manifest a power pressure washer to wash away the dirt from the verandah 😄!

Welcome To My Boudoir

Over the last 3 months, my bedroom has had a total transformation. Not an expensive, interior designer priced transformation, but rather a series of furniture rearrangements, lucky thrift store finds, items that I already owned being repurposed, and objects I “manifested”. 

First, the Queen-sized bed was turned 90 degrees and pushed into a corner. Originally, there were 2 bedside cabinets, one on either side of the bed. I gave one to my son Jack, and put the other one by the bedroom door. 

I had a Queen Anne dressing table in the junk room. It had been given to me by a neighbour in our previous estate, and although I’d given it a new coat of white paint, it had simply languished in the junk room of our present house. But this time, after several coats of gesso and varnish (I couldn’t find the white paint), it’s not taken up residence at the end of my newly positioned bed. And it houses my collection of Affirmation, Positive Thinking and Law of Attraction cards, as well as some books that I keep meaning to read, and some crystals.

I bought a rug to fill up the now empty space between the bed and the door. The dogs like to lie on it. It also makes a great work surface for my sewing projects.

I bought some cushions from thrift stores to place on my bed against the wall. They’re the colours of jewels – purple, teal, orange, and at the foot of my bed is a dog-themed cushion and my dog Shelagh’s 3 favourite toys – Gorilla, Tiger Tiger and Lion Lion. 

Where my bed had been before, I’d had a large romantic canvas print on the wall, flanked by 2 bird-themed canvasses. I’d found a modern abstract canvas for $20 at a thrift store. It now has pride of place on the wall.

On the smaller wall above my bedhead now (in the photo above) I have put up 2 canvasses which are actually cheats. 

The abstract on the left, with the line drawing of a woman’s face, is actually a T2 wrapping paper, from when I bought my “She Loves” limited edition teacup and saucer 2 years ago. It’s simply been Blu-Tacked and duct-taped (shock, horror! 😆) to a homemade wooden box frame. 

The canvas on the right, featuring peacocks, is actually a wallpaper sample stapled to an IKEA wooden frame. I’d bought it as such from a thrift store, for $3.25. 

For some reason I dislike hammering nails into walls, so to attach these 2 canvasses to the wall I used Command Hanging Strips (by 3M). Basically, Command Hanging Strips are a simple combination of flexible sticky tape and velcro. You can remove them from walls without leaving a trace. No need to fill in nail holes and then have to repaint the whole wall afterwards.

Here’s the rest of my “boudoir”:

The chair is a dining room chair in mock leather, picked up from a thrift store for $10. I’ve covered it simply with one of my Kantha-Boro quilted pieces. The 2 Totoro plush characters are actually sitting on top of a radiator heater, that I use in winter. The bookcase hidden under the blue cloth houses my collection of Tarot and Oracle cards. The blue canvas with the deer silhouette came from KMart, $15. And the “N O W” letters on the wall were made by me using Gelli-printed paper glued to wooden letters, then varnished.

The large romantic canvas atop this Queen Anne hall table is the one that used to grace the space above my bed. It was moved to make way for the modern abstract you now see on the main wall of my bedroom, flanked by the bird canvasses.

The Queen Anne hall table was a lucky find at a secondhand furniture store. I just love its sexy, curvy shape. Below it is my old piano stool, simply draped with another of my Kantha-Boro pieces. 

The striking turquoise artwork on the wall in the photo above, is one of my own creations. I created it on my Samsung Galaxy S4 mobile phone, then uploaded it to my computer, ran it through a Print-on-Demand service, chose the format (print on wooden/MDF panel) et voila! 

The black cloth with white circles and broken lines is a remnant I picked up from IKEA, over an IKEA tall chest of drawers. I like to call this spot my “Altar”. 

Leaves : Autumn & Winter

Here in Western Australia it never gets cold enough to snow. Well, we Might get frost and hail, but very, very rarely do we get any real snow. I think it might have snowed somewhere in Western Australia a couple of years ago…but maybe it was just heavy frost, or a smattering of real snow. Certainly not enough to be making snowmen or having snowfights. 

Anyway, I sometimes wish the winters here would be cold enough for it to really snow. That would be so magical. But instead, all we get are maybe some cold temperatures under Zero degrees at night, followed by days in the mid-teens. Never so cold that you need to wrap up in 3 or 4 layers. You don’t even need to wear gloves. Thermal underwear, what’s that? Just throw on a scarf and off we go!

I found these lovely photos of autumnal and winter leaves on Pinterest. Just sharing them with you here. Readers in the Northern Hemisphere are probably rejoicing to see the back end of Winter now, but here in the Land Down Under we’re meant to be at the start of Autumn. 

Hah! Tell that to the weather, which still insists on giving us daily temperatures in the 30s. Hot, muggy days without a breeze…NOT my favourite thing really. 

But, back to these leaves. So cool.

I Can & I Will

I’m tired of people telling me what I can or cannot do. How to live, how Not to live. What do they know? They’re not me. How can they presume to know what’s best for me? 

Actually, I got tired of this a while back. But, having to live under the same roof as my ex, (for now, anyway), every now and then he likes to remind me of my limitations. Every now and then the ugly beast rears its head.

“You can’t do this”, “You don’t have the money to do that, so forget it”, “It’s not possible”, “I know it’s not going to work, so don’t even think about it”. Etc etc etc.

I know it’s just his own insecurities talking. He has to try and put me down in order to make himself feel better. He needs to put the blame on someone, and I happen to be the closest. He needs a scapegoat to pin all his personal problems on, wagging his finger at me like I’m the source of all his problems. 

But, you know what? You can’t tell me what I can or cannot do. None of you can. Everything is possible, if I put my mind to it. If I set my intention, and follow through on the clues and signals that The Universe throws in my path, there is no way I cannot succeed in achieving my goal.

This year, my goals are thus:

1. Increase my Finances abundantly, enough for me to buy my ex out of our home. He thinks we’re flogging a dead horse, that we’re throwing good money after bad. But I don’t agree with that kind of defeatist attitude or mentality. If we can keep up with the mortgage payments, until such a time as the property market improves and we can sell the house for a profit, then surely the bank will be happy enough to overlook the arrears and tack it to the back of the mortgage? The ex just wants to run away to live in the Philippines with his (married) girlfriend, that’s why he isn’t too bothered if we lose the house here.

2. Get a job or jobs that will give me financial security, from multiple streams of income, if that’s how it has to be. With that I’ll be able to clear my debts and get a home loan at a low rate, to buy our house (as above). But more impprtantly, I would like to start up my own Crafts business online – maybe on Spotify, or on Facebook or even through a Wix website. I know this is possible, and I’m working on it. I’m also researching the pros and cons of becoming a pet groomer…should I do a certified course in pet grooming? Is it something I want to do? Will I enjoy it? Will I be able to get a job doing it? 

3. Buy/win/be gifted a Mazda CX-3 car in Soul Red Crystal. I am in love with that colour, every time I see it on the roads now I get a little frisson of delight up my spine. I can envision myself sitting in the car, driving it, oh yes, please, and Thank You, Universe!

I Can & I Will, Watch Me!

(Images sourced from: Pinterest)

Pinterest Curated Images for International Women’s Day

Yesterday, I posted about Carrie Green’s phenomenal business book “She Means Business” (pure gold, get it now, run don’t walk, what are you waiting for?), which arrived on International Women’s Day. Then I got carried away waxing lyrical about the book and about Female Entrepreneurs in general, and that’s why this post is a day late.

But wait…my half of the world may be in a different day, but it’s still International Women’s Day in America. So yay, happy dance, I’m still on time!

I found these quotes on strong women and woman’s solidarity on Pinterest:

International Women’s Day + Carrie Green

Today is International Women’s Day. Today is also the day I received my copy of Carrie Green’s book “She Means Business”. It’s not just any business book. It’s a business book geared specifically towards women entrepreneurs. It’s Motivational, Inspirational and dare I say it, Fun. 

If you’re in the USA, use this link to Amazon.com to purchase your own copy of She Means Business: Turn Your Ideas into Reality and Become a Wildly Successful Entrepreneur:

https://www.amazon.com/dp/1401953166/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_awdb_ECaWybBKPZ4M3

If you’re in the UK or Europe, use this link to Amazon.co.uk:

https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/178180740X/ref=cm_sw_r_other_apa_WAaWyb52RT38W

The fact that my copy of this book, a book geared towards Female entrepreneurs, arrived today, of all days, on International Women’s Day, hasn’t escaped my notice. I’m of the view that there are no coincidences in Life, things happen for a reason and at just the right time. 

So I’m taking this as a sign that I NEED to read Carrie Green’s book very carefully, and pay close attention to the information, advice and exercises within it, and just BE DARING to put myself out there, to start my intented Crafts Business NOW instead of procrastinating. 

Go take a look at Carrie’s site for Female Entrepreneur Association, of which she is the founder, there’s a plethora of juicy extras and bonuses that can be had there. If you’re already in receipt of the book, don’t forget to leave a review on Amazon for a chance to win freebies. Here’s the link with information on how to claim your freebies: https://m.facebook.com/groups/571014886425825?view=permalink&id=615166408677339

To all my Sisters in The Universe, if you’ve been waiting for a Sign to help you kickstart your life, this is it! We are Women, hear us roar!

Leaves : Spring & Summer

I’m in love with the green of leaves. Right now, it’s the end of Summer in Australia (yup, this is one weird country compared with the rest of the world). It’s hard to tell which leaves on which trees will turn golden then brown and fall to the ground, and which will stay green all year round. I’m no garden expert, and some trees that I swear are olive trees are perhaps some indigenous Australian gum instead. 

But I’ve fallen in love with big, green, leafy plants, especially the ones with leaves that are almost sculptural in their beauty. Green is a very refreshing and calming colour, and if you prefer not to have it on your walls, perhaps consider a houseplant to give your home a dash of this amazing colour.

So, once again courtesy of Pinterest, here are my favourite greens for Spring and Summer. (Seriously, folks, if you’re not already a fan of Pinterest and spend hours trawling through it, pinning this and that to your dozens of Boards, it’s time to get with the programme).

Land Of The Free…?

The “Scarcity” model that Society imposes upon us is one big fat lie. Society needs us to believe that there’s not enough Money out there for everyone, that the rich can only get richer and the poor poorer. That we are not beautiful enough as we are, so we need this makeup, these clothes, those shoes, that cream, go on that diet, eat this, don’t eat that, try this gym, buy this, buy that etc. 

It’s simply how Society operates. It needs us to do all that, in order to ensure its own survival. And the mode of exchange, the currency if you wish, is Money. 

It’s human nature that the more you’re told you can’t have something, the more you want it. Forbidden fruit tastes better, right 😉. The set-up therefore, or the carrot in front of the donkey, is to make something so attractive and desirable that you Just have to have it. And then make it seemingly unattainable, by pricing it out of the ballpark. 

But by then you want it so much, because mainstream Media has bombarded you with marketing campaigns, ads, teasers, freebies…your Want becomes your Need, and then you decide you can’t live without it, so you’re willing to get it at any price.

That’s when you start looking at credit cards, loans, payment plans, laybys etc. Your object of desire lies in the future, so you make yourself live in the future in order to obtain it, by going into debt. 

There are certain things you just can’t avoid paying for…like a roof over your head, for example. If you Rent, you’re essentially only borrowing your home from someone else, and could be turfed out if things go wrong. If you Buy, then the house is the carrot and you have to keep chasing it by paying regular instalments to the bank…because it’s actually the bank that owns the property, not you. Sure, you may pay it all off eventually, but again, that reality is in the future.

But do you know something? All that I’ve just said above – they’re First World problems. Here we are, squabbling over who gets the best bargain in town, which wine is the best, who the classiest celebrity is, where the best holiday deals are…when elsewhere in the world, people are dying of hunger and thirst, being exploited, being blown to pieces. 

And you don’t even hear about these things. Because the Media doesn’t want you to know. The Media in cahoots with Society just wants you to keep spending your Money. It helps Society control your thoughts, your spending habits, your very lives.

Yup, Society has it all sewn up alright. Nobody owns Mother Earth, yet people are not free to pitch their tents on any piece of earth they like and call it Home. Nope, somewhere along the line some smartarse or congregation of smartarses decided that the Land belongs to the Government and that everyone who wants a piece of it Must Pay. Look, they even steal Land from the original people who were there first, millennia ago. Original tribes who lived on and off the land, peaceably minding their own business, there’s plenty to go round, no need to squabble, spread out, go forth and multiply…until the Invaders arrived, that is. 

Whatever happened to “Land Of The Free”? First the Land was Free, then it wasn’t. First the People who lived on the Land were Free…then they weren’t. Ever heard of the word “Slavery”? 

“Free” has 2 notable connotations, both used in this context. The first – not having a pricetag, not for sale, available for use by everyone, having no monetary value of exchange. The second – not restricted in movement, not prevented from going about one’s daily business, not shackled in chains, not “owned” by someone else.

Land rights is just one specific example. There are too many examples of how Society has created slaves out of Humankind, by imposing manmade rules and regulations, and telling us “This is just the way it is”. Like some catch-all, cure-all phrase that’s supposed to mean something.

Luckily, many people are waking up and deciding to take the fight to the Capitol. We will be slaves no more, bowing at the altars of false gods. What was once Free MUST be Free again. One small victory at a time. 

(Image source: Pinterest)