Auburn and Blue

A Bathroom can change in a day !

26
Jan

It is no big secret that I love renovating, remodelling, re-decorating, re-building….anything re-creating !

No big surprise then that during the past holiday I could not help myself but re-doing the master bathroom in our holiday home.

It all started with this post about the blog giveaway  which you can find by clicking Bathroom Bliss. I soo wanted to re-do a bathroom in my own house after buying the giveaway set, but I could not find a bathroom in my house that needed a change……..except off course when I went on holiday and spotted something with my little eye…..

We bought the house “as is” about 7 years ago, since we lived abroad then already and wanted a place of our own which we could go to during our holidays (best decision ever). Building a new house long distance was not an option….so we took it the way it was and could move in immediately without any construction required. It is ideal for our situation, but …yes, the downside… not exactly my style. BIG problem.

This always causes for some kind of an “itch” I get, when I am there. And this time was no different.

But you can kind of see why, right?!  Yes – functional, Yes- practical, Yes – not really worth spending money on a bathroom that is in use 2 months of the year and no one else but I walk into…. ?!

But not quite inspirational.  Well – enough reason to motivate a change nevertheless.

Except this time I knew that knocking out walls, making dust, drilling and digging holes were not going to have a good effect on the marriage bliss at this point, while there were other far more important things on which money needed to be spent.

But still – one morning I got up, had a look in the mirror and decided today is the day that this room will change – IN A DAY.

This post is to show you that you can create a new look, without any structural changes….just a paintbrush and a minimal budget.

I had my limitations – promising that I was not going to go overboard and work with most of what I had for eg. no new towels, re-use the towel rails etc etc…. but still the overall look was different, and created a much cleaner look. Overall, I was pleased.

So, here is the rundown of the mini-facelift the bathroom got without any deep surgery !

 

Having done this lifted my mood instantly and put a smile on my face for the next morning I woke up !

I am hoping you feel inspired to take a space and give it a facelift.

One lucky person who will get to do a bathroom make-over is

Congratulations to Saori and hope you enjoy doing your bathroom make-over. Still LOVE those colors you will receive !

Ilze

Blog Love

25
Jan

Temperatures have dropped in an instant and so did my body immunity I guess !

It was a freezing -18 degrees Celcius when we left our hotel in the morning after a ski weekend with wonderful friends. I ended up with a terrible flu.

Today, I am staying warm, cuddled up with my fluffy blanket and doing what I love – blogging.

Yes, that’s what I do when my house is a mess and I have no help to assist me unpacking, cleaning and doing the laundry. I ascribe it to the fact that my body needs rest and recovery!

It have lit a special candle – it fills the room with a wonderful aroma and it is called A NICE DAY. It is a Ceramic and Soy Candle from Kongcho Science and it indeed has an incredible smell. They have a variety to choose from.

I have a lot to share later in the day – maybe they deserve separate posts – so, do check back  for an announcement of the blog giveaway winner, some personal news and a fun post about more things I love to do. First up are some admin things I have to do…sorry.

It is a indeed a nice day today – snowing outside but sunshine and blue skies to go with it. I took this picture this morning with sunrise. It just got even more beautiful later…

I am staying inside – even I have reason to go out…

Who knew it would snow so much overnight ?

Stay warm. Sending you love.

Ilze

You and Your Health

16
Jan

Have that on your list of New Year’s Resolutions this year? Again?
Well – read on and you will get a free prescription on how to improve EVERYTHING – free today, right here !

But, back a step first to New Year’s Resolutions.

Does this make you smile?

I saw this on a friend’s facebook, and… it made me smile.

Just HOW many times we have to repeat the SAME intentions..over and over… same issues, just slightly different angle as time goes by?

I have browsed many, many blogs in the past week – incidently on my phone while I was killing time in the hospital each day of last week waiting for tests, doctors consultations, scans and referrals.

A long story short. The NUMBER 1 goal I found on most people’s blogs who expressed a wish, was a focus on HEALTH. It hit home with me for sure.
Somehow it is top of mind for many people out there….and yes, funny how it definitely becomes top priority when your health comes under threat and you sit in those wards of Oncology, Cardio and other not-so-fun places to hang out….
Then only you realize how blessed you are to still get the good news at the end of it all. But somehow that thought does not stick all that long once you feel invisible again.

But, no doubt what will be my nr. 1 goal in 2012….
I plan to tell you in a later post one of the biggest changes I plan, but that for later.

For now – something cheap, easy and something we ALL can do – a secret prescription you can get and it’s free today – only 10 minutes of your time…but maybe YEARS to your life – WORTH A WATCH !

 .

Let me know what your resolution(s) were this time round and if you have had them before? And let me know what you think of the video?

But even if this was not on your list… I hope you heard something valuable that will just encourage you again today to do what the doctor ordered.

And reason being…..?

ONE YEAR FROM NOW YOU WOULD BE SO HAPPY YOU STARTED ONE YEAR AGO !!

Good luck Everyone.

Ilze

Best Design Blog 2012…or 2020?

14
Jan

A big congratulations to Elements of Style, Design Sponge,  All the Best Blog, decor8 and Tobi’s Blog  for being nominated for the Best Overall Design Blog 2012 in the Hall of Fame Awards by DesignBloggers. There are other categories too, really interesting to go check out all these worthy blogs…

So, I’ve wondered why my name did not come up there among the nominations….

Took me a good few minutes to ponder about it…

Maybe it was because I have not blogged since before Christmas in the “previous year”….

Maybe it was because I have not yet even announced the winners of the giveaways I hosted… or maybe that was actually because very few have responded to my giveaway.

Maybe it was because I have not yet mastered the hight-tech manner in which I originally tried to present my blogroll – to the point where I have now moved it off my blog and onto my Pinterest (I must get an award for that !! – I bet you soon others are gonna do that !!).

Maybe it was because my Christmas post and New Year’s well-wishes are still sitting in the draft box, since I dissappear off to a land where there is no internet every December … oh yes, now I remember…requirement nr 1 for blogging is internet access.

Maybe it is because my blog does not have a “PRESS” tab at the top …oh, damn… you actually have to have been in the Press to have a page like that! Definitely going to add one soon.. I am definitely going to be featured somewhere before China becomes the biggest economy in the world.

Maybe it is because I have less than 50 followers and half of them family or friends I had to bribe… but then again – I saw that one of the Best NEW Design Blogs only have 69 followers? Just proofs my point that not everyone who reads your blog neccessarily press the “like” button. Note to self – remember that next time you self-pity. And stop cursing technology for the many times the “like” box dissappear off the side-bar….you can still find it here on facebook if you would like to “like” me.

Maybe it is because you have to be a Design Blog to be nominated for Best Design Blog…oh yeah… that makes sense. Off course…. there was my a-ha moment !

But really, it was all of the above. I have lots of work to do on my blog and I am hoping to do so in 2012. Like a New Year’s Resolution if you’d like – only that I know those don’t last beyond January of any given year ! So, I refuse to call it that, but I do hope that I would find the time this year to record all the little splendours of life I come across. Things that are worth sharing – just to combine my world and your world and to get your comments so that eventually we can connect the dots and have our worlds become closer and more connected so that we all can have a bigger world than we are capable of visiting or seeing all by ourselves. Isn’t that what this is all about for you, too? (Tip – I don’t always get to blog about everything, so some of the little tidbit images remain in my Instagram which you can find as idodetail here. Feel free to join my journey there !)

So, back to the professional bloggers -  they dedicate all their time and effort to their blogs and they deserve their nominations through and through and I wish them all well – what a great achievement and honour and thrill to be in line for a big award for all the dedication. Yes – I know….. those people are SO talented that they actually do a lot of it effortlessly and second nature by now..but I am still trying make my case, okay?!

So, now I appreciate every person who reads my blog even more !  Thank you to each one of you ….who read and enjoy my blog despite it having the incomplete blogrolls, even when I don’t find the time to beautify my blog constantly and hardly find time to report on the great finds out there…. those who let me feel like an Award nominee for simply blogging what comes to mind, for leaving me comments and notes of appreciation everywhere inspiring me to keep doing what I love.

If this is your first time here – Welcome to my platform where I will continue to share my passions, pain and pleasures. I try keeping you from the “pain” part, but it sometimes slip through.

I am looking forward to talk the talk and walk the walk again in 2012.

Thanks for hanging out with me my Deer Friends !

(Image: Art Centre, Insa-dong, Seoul)

To the way forward in 2012 ! And my award in 2020 !

Ilze

Blog Giveaway for Bloggers – from Crimson Pear

10
Dec

Today’s post is a great giveaway for bloggers …or wanna-be bloggers, so really ALL of you can consider…

I want you to meet Libby. Why? I owe her a huge thank you for pulling me out the water when I was drowning in HTML, code, CSS and all sorts of weird technical jargon that I did not know the first thing about. She helped me learn how to swim and even though I am still water paddling (slow learner these days?!)….I made lots of progress and my blog is up and running. All the things I have not yet done, like a proper blog header or my courageous blogroll I never kept up, are not by her fault. It takes time and patience to decide and figure it out, but I want you to get the benefit of a blog tweak as she generously offered a huge discount on those services specially for any reader of this post !

That in a nutshell, but let’s go one step back again….

One of my many self-awarded titles is to be a “blogger”. Note the word “self”…?!

It’s easy – you find a blog and you start writing. Well, so I thought….

And then reality hit.

I mean really hit. Hard.

There were countless little…no, big…. technical issues that came with the decision to move from a hosted to a self-hosted blog. The “self” is where the problem came in…that word I miss-judged… the one that implied hours and hours of technical tweaking !!!! I pulled my hair out that I ever started.

Newsflash for those who still consider blogging…….

Image: Shabbyblogs

But at this point I was hooked. There was no turning back.

I cried out for help….

and to the rescue came ….. a LIFE-LINE thrown to me by…

..the lovely Libby , whom I met via the Blogging-your-Way course ( – the highly acclaimed and highly, highly recommended-by-all-course commonly known as BYW By Holly Becker and Leslie Shewring).

Libby is the owner of the blog, Current Observations and web-business, hot off the press as we speak, Crimson Pear.

And here we are today. A work-in-progress…. but Auburn and Blue is good to go for now and I am blogging. And happy.

I know that there are many of you who are in the same position as me – you want to blog….you have wonderful ideas, you are creative or you simply need a let-out. So, all you need now is a BLOG. We can solve the problem of the unfed husband later !

Or you have a blog already, but the only thing between you and wonderful content is the know-how to make it look and feel exactly the way you want to…. you are at the right place.

Today on offer is a blog giveaway to help all the wonderfully, creative people out there who just needs a little…or a lot of help with the tools of the trade and and at the same time to introduce Libby’s newly launched web business as a thank-you from me.

To recap, today’s giveaway:

Full details on which services she offers is on her site. And obviously this is open to all countries. Libby does a Skype consultation as part of the service and screen sharing goes beyond borders…gotta love technology too !!

Since today is not about me – I am not going to force you to “like” MY blog to qualify for this one. Because you don’t need to be a fan of mine to make use of Libby’s service (but obviously I will never stop you from “liking” my blog via the facebook button on the sidebar if you have not done before !).
But here is what you DO need to do to qualify:

 

That is to get a 20% discounted rate for any of the services in her range.

You have time till December 25th to enter and Winner will be announced on December 27th.

…and the BONUS FEATURE is, that if you comment on this post – you will ALSO stand a chance for the blog giveaway that is still open for all comments for the month of December…. and win a beautiful BATHROOM SET. If you missed it, you can find it here.

If you are not in need now, you WILL BE one day in the future – trust me! It could come in handy later.

You can knock on her door anytime and make use of her services, but this is a once-off opportunity for a discounted rate.

So, who exactly is Libby? Well – I can tell you this… she does not easily talk about herself. She offers help and then she gets to work and get it done. But we all love to get to know people a little better, right? So I decided to dig a little deeper so you too can get to know her and tell your friends. Sharing the love ! Something bloggers love to do. And it was SO worth it !! Even just doing the interview with Libby was so fun as I found it fascinating and also became aware of a few new lovely blogs (see her shout-out), I was absolutely blown away by her second youtube favourite (have to watch !!) and I enjoyed the new song from Regina Spektor so much that I bought it and did try to embed it here for your listening pleasure….but remember that part about me having lots to learn….yes, we were reminded of that again…. I did not manage yet and so you will have to go search it on i-tunes..but it is a great choice !

A little bit more about the woman on the ABOUT ME page from Current Observations:

What would you describe as your perfect way of having your coffee?

Oh that’s an easy one – large skinny latte. I don’t do small coffee cups.

A specific kind or brand you prefer??

I buy from a local coffee roaster called Wagonga Coffee and my favourite blend is the Sumatran Mandehling Organic.

Have it alone or with friends? ?

There’s nothing like coffee out with friends but I’m also OK with my own company.

In a coffee shop or at home??

I do both but I have my favourite spots; the organic café at the local markets, early morning end of shopping treat at the Saturday farmers market and Sunday morning home made while eating buttermilk pancakes with my husband.

What do you miss most? And would you ever want to live there again or is that chapter over??

Oh I love southerners they are so hospitable and I miss the trees and great southern food like key lime pie and fried okra. For now that time has past but I would go back in a heartbeat. My husband doesn’t feel the same but if someone offered him a role in Oregon or Maine I’m sure he’d jump at the chance.

What do you enjoy most living in Australia??

The expanse of the country – it’s so varied, you can ski in the south and snorkel in the north. I love the mix of cultures in Australia and what that has done to how we live and eat. I love that I can drive for a whole day and not see another car!

If you can live anywhere on the planet – where would that be??

Denmark – I have a thing for Danish design, furniture, food, jewellery and lets not forget Lego.

Having a job, a family, a business, being a student – how do you manage your time??Any tips out there for fellow busy bees?

The ultimate question – well I don’t stop moving but that suits me. I’ve worked out I can achieve a lot in a very small amount of time. The days of having endless hours on weekends are gone when you have children so instead of aiming for an hour to complete a task I break in up into smaller blocks. I find I’m more efficient and procrastinate less. I’m also one of those really annoying people that get bored really quickly so I have to move from one task to another so as not to drive my whole family crazy.

Who is the Libby most people know??

Ah – I’m the geek on the block who likes to make and grow things and is just a little bit obsessed with colour.

Who is the Libby most people don’t know (the parts you don’t mind sharing)??

I’m the girl with big plans that fears success more than I fear failure. I’m painfully aware of what I don’t know and tend to focus too much on that than having faith in my abilities. I’m just starting to work out what my personal style is and I’m enjoying making judgments accordingly.

What can you not leave home without??

My Swiss army knife and Envirosax shopping bags

What is it like living with 3 men in one house??

I love my boys! My husband is the best and my little men are growing up to be the boys I wish for world. Polite, considerate, kind and interested. I was never the girl that wished for a daughter and there’s a certain advantage to being the only girl in the house – I get very spoiled by my boys.

What is the one thing you would like your kids one day to remember you as?

That I had an inquisitive mind and always thought my dreams were possible.

Who inspires you most in the world out there??

Even though she in no longer here I still have to say my Mum. She was my constant and the measure by which I based my decisions. She quietly achieved so much and made a significant impact for the better on the lives of others.

What is your wish for the world out there??

That if each of use makes one small change in how we live we can reduce our impact on the environment. I’m a big believer in the butterfly effect.

What is most important in your life right now??

My little men and their wellbeing, getting my business website up and running and making sense of our very large garden.

Your biggest dream??

To design, print and sell my own fabric.

If you knew what you know now about life, what would you have changed in your 20’s ? and your 30’s??

That going to Art School has been the catalyst for everything I’m doing right now. I wished I’d worked it all out sooner rather than taking the detours I did.

Who is your best friend – or group of friends and what do you like about her/ them so much??

My oldest friend in the world (we met in kindergarten) lives in Canberra also and no one knows me like she does. Our parents were friends and she’s so important to me. When my Mum died she was the first person I called and I knew she would know how I was feeling. I also have 2 gorgeous friends I met at playgroup when our kids were small. Penny is my exercise buddy and each week we do yoga, swim and bike together. I joke that I have never had so many numbers pinned to my chest than since I met her – she’s always signing me up for sporting events. Kathy is just so special, smart and my week is not complete if I haven’t talked to her at least 5 times.

Is there something you would like to see change in your own life or in life in general??

You know, I really don’t want for anything. I could say a new kitchen would be nice but really I’m happy right now.

What is your favourite song right now??

Well that’s a tricky one – I love so many different kinds of music but I’ve been really enjoying Regina Spektor (especially One More Time With Feeling) and I’ve just rediscovered Nina Simone after a 10 years and I always have a least one David Gray album on my iPod.

What is your favourite treat??

Going out for breakfast.

What is the best gift you ever received (other than your boys !)?

That’s a tricky one. My husband is not known for his gift giving but when he does they’re always memorable. The first year we were dating he gave me a wooden dinosaur skeleton that I had to build myself – so cool and I still have it. Another year it was a Swiss Army knife and last year it was brakes for my bike!

Is there anything on youtube you enjoyed lately??

Great question! Two things have really made me smile lately – the first is the Flash Haka (I love the haka a New Zealand Maori tradition)

….and then this video about THE LOST GENERATION PALINDROME took my breath away !!! (note from Ilze – yes..it blew me away too, thanks for sharing !)

As a mom – What would you warn little children against in this day and age? The biggest threat you think they face??

Wow that’s a hard one. I would love to impress on my boys that they can be the change they want to see in the world. Sometimes though I think that notion is very Pollyanna of me in world of terrorism and threats that can’t be easily identified.

What is your favorite part of your day??

The morning – it’s when I do most of my exercise and have alone time while my boys slumber.

Anything out there that you would love to learn to do??

Knit and play piano.

Having lost your mother recently – how/ has that changed your perspectives on living??

I have been reflecting on all her talents and the time it took to learn those skills and wonder sometimes if I’m wasting time. I also find myself asking ‘what would Mum say’ – so if I’m hatching a new plan I picture talking to her about it. She was always so supportive of my pursuits but I always knew whether she thought it was a good idea or not.

Which parts of blogging do you find rewarding? Frustrating??

The rewards are meeting new global friends – like you Ilze. I love connecting with people that have similar interests and new insights. I have collaborated with so many wonderful people in different ways and it’s one of the most rewarding parts of being a blogger.
Frustrating is spam and even me and all my geekiness cannot fix that one.

What is your biggest challenge with blogging??

Making the time to create a worthy post. I don’t find myself short of topics to blog about but I like to present them well and that eats up a lot of my time. I would also like to write better and I’m yet to determine whether that can be learned or if it’s innate.

Working with/ following other blogs – what are the new trends developing??

I just love the way people are so expressive and embracing their creative pursuits. It’s really such an inspiration. I’m also seeing a lot more ‘how to’ posts and people sharing their craft or methods.

What have you seen ‘enough” of lately??

Dare I say it – I’m a little over ‘Mommy blogs’ – I find them kind of disturbing.

Where did your love for design start??

I cannot put a definite time on it but it was very early on. My mother was a beautiful seamstress and I grew up in the 70s so you can imagine the kinds of patterns and colours that surrounded me in the fabrics she worked with. When I went to Art School I was determined to major in drawing but I had one semester with the worst lecturer ever and on a whim enrolled in Design 1 – I was hooked and it took me about 2 weeks to work out that I was destined to major in Design.

Words of advice for new bloggers??

Just do it! Don’t get too caught up in the technology or the look and feel at first. You can’t know if blogging is for you so write a month of posts and see if it’s what you want to do. Read and leave comments on other blogs. Don’t be afraid to reach out to seasoned bloggers and ask them for guidance. It’s amazing how willing people are to answer your questions. I started blogging to find myself, which sounds strange. I was at somewhat of a crossroads in my life, I had just moved to Canberra from Atlanta, had my second baby and was thinking of returning to work. I had worked as a corporate trainer, I had worked at Microsoft, I had done technical writing but I just didn’t want to return to anything like that. Then I read an article by a fellow whose advice for people who aren’t sure where they’re heading was to keep a blog. It was such a revelation because what it did for me was allowed me to filter what was blog worthy to me and what wasn’t. If you read my early posts you can almost see this transformation happen.

Which one of your posts is your all time favourite??

One of my favourites was written on the eve of my Jolly Monkey turning 7. It’s probably the one and only time I’ve published pictures of him. I always enjoy reading my reflection of the boy he was then – see here . I also really like my screencasts and hope to do some more soon – take a peek here

What do you think is the future of blogging??

I definitely think it’s here to stay but I think the wider audience is going to become more discerning in what they want as subject matter. I think it’s going to be harder to make blogging a money making venture, which fortunately for me has never been my motivation.

Who is the most interesting person you have met in your blogging world??

There are so many but if I have to choose one I would say Robin from The Mess That Is My Life . She writes so well and with such raw emotion and she’s been such an important person to me over the last year.

Who inspires you most??

Really anyone who just does what they set out to achieve. It takes so much determination and tears to follow your dreams and I am fortunate to know so many people who have done just that. They inspire me daily.

Where do you draw your inspiration from for your blog posts??

Lots of things really, the seasons, things I’ve read recently, things that happen to me or if I become aware of something that I just want to share, like an object or idea. I like to write about my creative process. I post a lot of unfinished and raw scribbles and designs. Some of which I’ve fine-tuned and others I’ve abandoned. I also like to do image only posts.

Do you want to give a shout out to 2 or 3 blogs out there that you enjoy reading??

Well I’ve already mentioned Miss Robin so a few other favourites are:
o Pugly Pixel – Katrina is a geek of my proportions and I love reading her posts, and she’s so generous with sharing her knowledge and creations.
o True Up – because I am fabric obsessed
o Spagat Blog – I have a confession but Sidsel is also sister to my good friend Mette. She’s a graphic designer based in Aarhus Denmark and she’s so talented.

Hopes and dreams for your business?? A little sneak peek you want to share what it will be all about and when will it be ready??

Well you can have the full tour! I’ve been developing blogs and websites for individuals and small companies for the last 4 years or so and I decided to get a little serious. My business is called Crimson Pear – web :: surface :: print :: design. My plan is to keep on engaging with small businesses to build their online presence but also to develop WordPress themes for bloggers. Some will be for free and others will be for a small cost. I love blogging and I love empowering others to get past the technology and into their own blogs. My website address is http://www.crimsonpear.com.au . I did a soft launch last night (which basically means I didn’t tell anyone about it) but it’s live and out there and you heard it hear first! Or simply click on this link: Crimson Pear

Thank you Ilze for giving me this shout out! I’ve so enjoyed working with you and you have been one of the motivations behind my business. I’m sure we’ll always be blogging buddies.

Ilze

Missed the Boat today !

6
Dec

 

OOPS……?!

Saw this image recently on Pinterest and I could totally relate ! That would be so me. Had a good chuckle.

I had a few self-imposed deadlines today…and sadly I missed them.

One of them was a post I wanted to share with you today. Well – that was untill the guys who had cut the trees, also accidentally cut my internet line yesterday…and that seriously ruined a few plans I had.

But… I guess tomorrow is another day…and luckily for some of us… missing the boat today is not necessarily the end of the world… or our existence…?!

Hope you had a good day today and Hope that I will be able to make good tomorrow on a few promises and a few projects I hope to pull together.

And this time I promise to be here when I am supposed to be here.

Ilze

Blog Giveaway – Bathroom Bliss

4
Dec

Blog Giveaway time again ! This could be yours !

I loved the new bathroom set that Ikea recently launched as soon as I laid eyes on it.

The colours –  I can best describe it as Amber, somewhere between Mauve pink and Plum, and Gunmetal.

Mmmmm…..such a classy new combination for any room – especially a boring,  neutral bathroom that needs a bit of warmth.

Problem is … I don’t have any bathroom that needs or justifies any type of make-over. But I could not resist buying and had the perfect excuse – another BLOG GIVEAWAY. Why the giveaway and why a bathroom set?

As you can tell from my previous 2 posts, I have  been busy checking up on my guest bedroom and bathroom. If you missed it, catch up here and here for some tips.That may have inspired you to have a look at your own bathroom. It is the holidays and many of us are in the shopping spree mode. Me too, except that we are not actually giving gifts to the extended family this year. That cuts about 30 people off my list…. so I have decided to put you on my Christmas list this year.

The good thing about this one is that you will be in the count if you comment on ANY of the posts in December. But remember, you have to “like” the blog first to be in the count. Just the way it works, so I can keep tabs.

Now….. for the set I am dying to keep, but willing to give…..

I really do think it is such a classy combination…Trust me …. I’m a…. well, okay… I’m an accountant…… but no, really – TRUST me.  It is gorgeous and will turn any bathroom into a beautiful boudior.

So, what exactly will you get yourself this time?

 

I have put these items together as I think it will be the perfect starter-kit for a guest toilet where you don’t need his or hers set of tumblers, you can get away with face towels, you might want to spoil guests with a little perfume spray and as in any little restroom, you add a bit of lotions and potions to help keep your guests refreshed and spoilt. The deco flowers is added in the mix but hopefully you will be able to add a candle or two, some luxury soaps to create a new look instantly. A matching wall in one of the palette undertones will just be the perfect deal clincher.

How does today’s giveaway works? Simple. Like last time – in case you missed it, recap here. And again, congratulations to Brigitte who got herself a set of wonderful stationery! And yes – you can comment as many times as you like… and you can comment even if you have won before !

If you comment on today’s post – you cant tell me  what you would do with this set if you win it or if you have a bathroom which would be fun to re-decorate and why, or simply if you love this color scheme as much as I do!

So, to recap and make sure you don’t miss out:

PLEASE NOTE: This is open to any person in any country, but if any restrictions apply with regards to shipping the set to that country, right is reserved to draw an alternative winner. Winner will be announced in the first week of January and all comments during December will be in count. Set will be shipped on January 15th, unless otherwise arranged.

Image credit for the collage at the top:1 Plums, 2. LONDON ZOO 15, 3. Tulip, Plum Colored, 4. Polar Star roses, rouge baiser roses, cool water roses carried by bridesmaids wearing a plum color dress, 5. Purple haze, 6. Keyboard, 7. Contemporary Pendant Lamps in Plum, 8. Plum Coloured Rain, 9. Plum in hand., 10. Plum Truffle, 11. Filling the cauldron/sljive/plums/rakija, 12. diya, 13. Amber, 14. Amber Topaz Chandelier Crystal Bracelet, 15. Autumn Graze, 16. Burnished lake ice, 17. Amber caves , 18. Glass collection, 19. Couch, 20.Red Hair, 21. Plums, 22. the amber gambler, 23. sky wonder-duskview-painting on sky, 24. ., 25. Earrings, 26. Fashion, 27. Red Yellow Blue Sunset28. Table 29. Trees 30. Gray31. Orange Belt 32. Sun Sky 33. Cocktail34. Door 35. Purple Tile Bath 36.Casadeperrin

Ilze

Bathroom Blend-in

2
Dec

 

Poster from :  blimpcat on Etsy

As the owner of this Etsy shop who sells this poster, stated there and I agree : ” I think Inayat Khan was more talking about keeping the proper perspective on life than meditating on the role of interior designers in society, but it’s a lovely sentiment even if your interpretation leans toward picking paint swatches and mid-century furniture.”

Yes, it is a lovely thought and let that inspire us today to make the world around us beautiful.

And for a moment pretend that that also applies to the rooms in our houses. That is really the reason why I love to decorate my house. It feels like you try to put some beauty into something which would otherwise remain brick and mortar – all in an attempt to lift your spirit when you are in that room or to create a feeling of well-ness, especially in an expat world where you have to turn a house into a home so many times over.

So, today’s post is a build-onto the post on the Guest Room which, if you have not read it, you can find here.

And I think you have guessed it already….the bottomline of what I am about to tell you…

If you have an en-suite bathroom, that is directly related to a specific room in the house, then try your best to blend that bathroom in with the color scheme and “look-and-feel” of the adjacent room. This is not only for the  guest room, but same goes for a Master Bedroom, which are usually the rooms lucky enough to have a bathroom right next door.

My guest bathroom is in completely neutral colours (thank you, mr Landlord). That means you have a clean palette to start with, but it also means that you have no walls to paint or any other color elements and need to create all that with what you put into the room.

Obviously nr 1 colour fixer is your towels and bath and shower mats. I put towels on the rails out (otherwise you strip your bathroom from colour), but when I have guests, I take these extra towels (on the bidet in the picture), fold them nicely, put a nice brown ribbon (maybe a chocolate brown one with polka dots?) and leave it out on the bed on arrival.

This way, the guests already have a second set of towels, should they need it during a long stay. I don’t like going in to the bathrooms during their stay to go change towels….and leave it up to them to throw it in the wash and use a fresh one if that is before I perhaps felt the need.

I painted and re-covered an old piano chair to have a type of seat as I find it quite handy in a bathroom – even to just throw your clothes down while in bath.

I once wanted a scale that measures BMI – thinking cap on – I decided to buy it in the color of the guest bath, so I could have the second scale down here instead of 2 in my bathroom. But it helps when you constantly think about your colour schemes and rooms so that you furnish them as you go along.

I had a chocolate brown silk gown which I don’t use often, so again – instead of leaving it in my closet, I hang it out here behind the door for the guest. No need to buy one. A robe is another item I think comes in handy in a guest bath as I never take mine when travelling – but you get one in a hotel, right?

Need to make the point once again – this is not a must-have list….. but if you have it, go pull it out and put it here !

Thinking HOTEL again, I try to provide guests with any possible thing I can think of that they might need. You don’t have to rush out and go buy all that – nobody can afford that anyway. But many times I get gift bags, promotional items, a big source is airline toiletry bags you used to get, gift bags from gala dinners that sponsors throw in and I buy over time – sometimes many years (after all – a guest only uses so much hairspray in one visit)….but I try to keep in the back of my mind the main idea …so, that it all comes together when you throw them together.

As I said … my blank canvas was handy, but I used various things to re-iterate the color scheme….. a napkin in a basket in the color of the walls of the guest room…. I buy products – purely to match the colors… you will not find a pink shampoo bottle in this room – why ? It costs the same, it makes a huge difference on the eye.

On to a next point – guests are sometimes reluctant to use items stored away in cupboards. Maybe it is just there for storage and not for use – so, you feel uncertain pulling things out and start using them.

But, at the same time – I feel awkward using a shampoo that looks like it is out there in use by somebody….and then happily start use it as my own.

So – I make it VERY obvious that they can feel free to use anything. One thing is to make it all look like a collection – in the color scheme (we don’t live this way, right – in my own bathroom I don’t choose products by color, but by preference). So the whole colour coding helps people understand that it is specially there for them and as a ‘guest collection’ .

Have it OUT and right there where they can USE it for eg on the bathtub, on the countertop etc.

But only put those things out that can be considered “pretties”.

Do you like my little “TOOTH-brush holder? I did  specially buy the set for the lotion and toothbrushes, because I thought the little “TOOTH”  was too cute…and as it happened to be in my color scheme, it was waving wildly to me from the shop shelves !

Those things that you want your guests to use, but they don’t really adhance the look and feel of the room, rather tuck them away in drawers….open them up as you welcome your guests in their room and tell them – “Please help yourself to anything in here, it is for your use”. That’s enough encouragement for them to stock and supply themselves from your drawers for items they might want but won’t ask.

This goes without saying – but remember to always use only wastebins with lids. No open bins in bathrooms !

Just a little trivia – the hairdryer in the photo a little up, is actually one that my friend lent me one day and said I could keep it ! ALmost 9 years ago while I was a guest in her house and she did not need it. I kept it and now it perfectly matches. THis is the same friend who is coming to visit me this week ! How fun. And to re-cap on this rule of what is IN and what is OUT.  If the hairdryer was purple, I would have tucked it into the drawer, but now it is out.

So, don’t buy now – just discreetly decide where to place things – IN or OUT.

Well – that goes as far as things of use.

After this, there is no limits to adding fun elements to add personality to your bathroom.

I love candles in a bathroom and found these votives with paper glued onto the glass, they make a beautiful shine-through effect when all lit up.

ps – if you are one of those super analytical people – don’t kill yourself trying to orientate the room – it has doors leading into it from two sides!! Hence the doors are both sides of some pictures. You are not crazy, in case you noticed.

I had fun sharing my Guest room and Blend-in Bathroom with you.

 

 

 

 

Now I can close the door on these two rooms and wait for my guests to arrive and leave them peacefully in this space during their stay.

If you feel inspired to go glam up your bathroom a bit, don’t despair.

Leave a comment here today and you will be in the run for my blog giveaway that is coming up to kick-start a new bathroom for you !!

Ilze

Guest Room Guide

1
Dec

I am excited. Expecting guests from my home country in the coming week, for a week.

This made me have a look at my guest room this weekend to make sure everything was in order. I want them to feel very welcome. (Read more 1.)

So, I decided to share with you my ideas on GUEST ROOMS as I applied it when I had put this room together a few years ago. I still love it everytime I walk in there and reason being that when I think GUEST room, I don’t think SPARE room, I think HOTEL room. That is where the secret lies ! Now that I have given you the golden rule – you might not want to read on..but if you only hear that today – that is also okay. Everything in that context will make more sense to you from this point forward in this post. (Read more 2.)

The idea is not to apply the exact same thing in your room…but to take the concept or the principle when you plan out your room and then modify it to your budget, your taste and your situation (Read more 3).

Not everybody has the luxury of having a guest room available at all times, but if ever you have one and could decorate it from scratch, you could come back here and refresh your memory. Or if you don’t have a room that you can dedicate fulltime to that purpose, you can apply some of these guidelines, to turn one of your current bedrooms into a “guest suite” for a few days when you want to make your guests feel welcome ! (Read more 4)

Since there is SO MUCH that I could say about guest rooms, I am going to try and do something different for this post.

I will give you a photo and a few lines to explain and then at the bottom of the post, I will do the  READ more on each of those. See the bottom of the post for all these READ MORE notes that you have by now started to wonder about! And please do go to the bottom of the post where I ask you an important question and contribution to my WORLD MAP !

Back to the Room:

Start with what you have. This will form the basics of the room and set the tone. (Read more 5.)

Once you have your basic elements, choose your ambience by picking a wall color and linen to match and pull the scheme together. (Read more 6.)

Have something right beside the bed where guests can put things down – like a book they are reading – some type of  “bedside stands” – even if they are not the traditional, as those can be very costly (Read more 7.)

Always have  2 sets of pillows to choose from as per guest preference (Read more 7).

Curtains can be costly. Think about getting away with a cheaper option. (Read more 8)

The basics are set – room furniture, walls, linen, color scheme, curtains – you have set the tone. Now to enhance the ambience and the overall experience. So you can take it up a notch with adding details (Read more 9)

Day One of putting your guest room together, you won’t have all the little nicknacks to go with your room, but I find that having a guest room in a set color scheme, gives me a great excuse to buy things that I see and love – especially on vacation (Read more 10 on where I found these) to add to your room later.

A bedside lamp and a few magazines are the perfect companions next to a guest bed to let them know you want them to lie back, enjoy some reading when they have time  and the pleasure of not having to get out of bed to go switch off the light when half asleep. That has happened to me so often staying over…. and that’s okay…but we are talking here about trying to give your guests the DELUXE package!

But WHATEVER you put on the bedside table – PLEASE let it blend in. Do not put a raspberry red chocolate bar here or a cranberry candle. Match, match, match your scheme or you will ruin your serenity in one go. I would have done this in a Read more, but I am so afraid you miss this point, that I have to put it here !

Now, don’t forget our golden rule in the beginning – put your HOTEL cap on by adding those things people don’t bring with them but would find annoying to go buy  – Stationery and a desk…and… (Read more 11).

But please do me a favour. And stick to your color scheme again. I know you just heard that. I am telling you again in case you missed that. You might have to choose your second favourite flavour for the linen spray or notebook, but it will match and that will make all the difference to take your guest room from good enough to glam !

And what do hotels usually provide you with? Empty closets or… (Read more 12)

If you have things in your house that are just lying around, you can think of using them in here for eg, these little perfume bottles I collected at some stage – who knows why?

I leave them for the guests to use in the closet. A nice touch but did not cost me any extra.

Do you have anything just lying around that you could perhaps incorporate into your guest room?

When you are an expat there is definitely one thing you have plenty of lying around. Those brochures and books you collect about your new destination when you first arrive. Put them to good use ! (Read more 13)

I can keep you busy for a whole ‘nother day on guest rooms, but I have little time before my guests come, so best we stop here for today.

If you have an en-suite bathroom..yes, you guess it – CONTINUE with the color scheme.

But the guest bathroom is a whole story on its own and will be continued in tomorrow’s post – with the added benefit of a blog giveaway. So, do check back on that !

And if you think you got the idea..or the picture..and want to skip the Read more – please do jump to the bottom of the post to answer my question and to send me your name and your country you live in !!

1. To make VERY sure that they know I want them to feel welcome – I have put block letters on the credenza that spells it out. You can have fun with these – buy some to always have at hand and then change the message appropriately for the different guests. It adds personality – so they know they are NOT in a hotel room, they just have the luxury feel of a hotel room with the hospitality of friends.

2. When you have guests, you have to realize they are away from home. We all love living in a hotel (well, I certainly do. And rather than feeling that we are invading someone’s space, when we stay with people at their homes, you need to create the feeling for you guests, that they are being “treated”…that it is much nicer here than any other place they would want to be right now.

3. For eg. on note 1 – think – what is your “welcome” factor – fresh flowers, a little card, a block message…. like you have the cheesy TV screen with your “Welcome mr and mrs O” in the hotels at the Resorts. I hate those..but yet, it does feel that they “prepared” for your stay. Make your guests feel like you “prepared” before they arrived. Welcome message them in one way or the other upon arrival.

4. If you have to use one of your current rooms, try to “strip down” that room..meaning take away ALL the clutter and things that you have to have there normally…but don’t need while they are there. DON’T leave it in the room (even throw it in a box or push it under your bed but get it out of the way, rather than making them feel that they are invading your space and overcrowding it.

5. I had these old pieces – these IKEA wardrobes from my previous house, sepia pictures of trees, a rusty garden vase and a chair from my parent’s house which I will not get rid of but which does not fit into any other room scheme. So, with those basic pieces I knew that this room will be dark wood as I had to accomodate these pieces here. Wood can be very boring, dark and depressing, so I needed to add a soft, subtle colour to make it more “dreamy” and well, hotel-like !

6. Pick the colour scheme from the basic undertone you have now set. Soft dove blue complimented the browns, especially taking my cue from the frosted glass doors of the wardrobes, but I had nothing in that colorscheme. Painting a wall is the quickest way to make a big impact on a low budget. The dark wood immediately told me that this room would not feel good with crispy red and green apple colours, although I was dying to use those colors for something fresh and bright. Sometimes you just have to go with what you have and not fight the elements !

7. I did not have bedside stands and did not want to invest, so an extra table and an old toy basket came in handy as side tables. Now the basket serves as storage space for extra pillows in case guests have preferences. But, at least you should have 2 sets of pillows on guest beds as you don’t want to ruin somebody with jetlag’s little sleep they get by giving them a flat or too stiff pillow that is very different from their usual.

8. As this room would be very seldomly used, I did not want to invest  a lot into curtains. So I made a DIY curtain with a sheer piece of fabric and just put in a few hooks attached to shower curtain rings to give effect. I hid the hooks with tossles to trim and voila! This window has a shutter that closes automatically on the outside, so I did not need to worry about having a full window cover, but if you don’t have that option, you might want to consider a block out blind – nothing like sun in your eyes when you try to sleep in on vacation.

9. Add things such as candles, some interesting artifacts from your home country perhaps, a guest book on an end table to get special messages from your guests, an extra blanket if too cold, his and her slippers…whatever comes to mind that are not neccessary, but nice !

10. What a great excuse to buy some momentos from holiday destinations and add them to your room as time goes on. Sometimes they end up as missfits on shelves in rooms that don’t compliment them and when added to a guest room, they sometimes get highlighted more and a talking point with guests as they “live” with them for a few days! They are certainly more memorable this way. I found these items on my travels –

* Oversized Wooden necklaces from Vietnam street market;

* Candle (can not tell you how amazing it smells !!!) – from North Shore, Hawaii;

* Wood Coasters – En Style, Parys, Free State, South Africa;

* Perfume Oil tray – Marrakesh, Morocco;

* Candy tins – Costco – ha-ha (my local grocery monthly travel destination !) – but let’s be honest, every guest is allowed a little sin in their room, so why not  leave them a treat if they feel a little lonely or up to something sweet even if they refused to take dessert because they were trying to be good and now they regret !

* Magazine stand – Kyobo, Seoul

11. Very few people carry stationery with them (I do – but I am a little OTT!). Think HOTEL now. You often need a little notebook to maybe record your expenses or something you saw etc. Or scissors. Or an envelope where you might want to leave a note behind or some money for a special helper. Other things you might add – some sleep spray for the linen for a good night sleep, tissues, a back scratcher, coffee mugs (I have a coffee maker in the room adjacent for the guests to use). Little treats. Little details.

12. DON’T let people put their clothes inbetween your kids’ dress up costumes, and squeeze in their shoes right next to your piled up sneakers that you pushed aside. Again – throw those in a trash bag for a day in the garage if you have to, but give them an empty shelve if you can at ALL manage that. Don’t put your pink and green plastic hangers here because those are your extras ! NO, put your best wooden hangers here and make do with the pink and green in your own closet – nobody is going to look there. And if you have no option but to leave some of your things in there – put them in these very easy to find IKEA storage bags so that it looks neat and tidy and again not leave them feeling like they are invading your linen closet. They are in a hotel remember, not in your storage space!

13. I put these books and brochures out since I don’t live in my home country. Many guests don’t do homework beforehand or only really get insight into what they want to do during their visit when they are already in the country. Let your guests browse in their own free time to spark ideas of what they wish to see. And off course – again… I had a good excuse to put to use the beautiful bath dish that I could not resist during my travels to Beijing which I had found at the Antique market and I had to convince my husband that I could really put it to use – somehow ! I had no idea for what at the time, but then finally it found a spot !!

One last thing…. this World Map that I have put down on this table, does not belong in this room, but I recently turned the gym into a toyroom and it simply won’t fit in anymore and it is SO HUGE that I had no place to go with it. It goes with the color scheme so I am thinking of keeping it here.

But, I have an idea – I am thinking of adding pins to it, showing the names of all our friends who live around the globe and hopefully they might make their way into our guest room one day and see their pin.

I thought it might give a different spin to the old scenario of pinning the places where we have travelled to?

I would love to know what you think of this idea of mine ! And if you want me to start by adding your name to my MAP, even if you live in the same town as me now – leave a comment down below with your country where you live currently – even if we have just met in the blogosphere. I would love to add you as a friend !

Take care and go glam up those GUEST BEDROOMS !!

Ilze

Rainy Day

29
Nov

Today is a cold, wet , rainy day.

Nothing glamorous about it. Just miserable and foggy. Like my mind.

I am not in a particularly good mood today. I want to crawl back in bed and sleep.

But I have so much catch-up to do. Which, by the way, I don’t feel any desire to do today.

Sometimes, I feel it would be better to stay behind for the rest of my life than to try and catch up all the time.

Just as I seemed to get on top of things, I got error code -36 on my photo files…and there went the last bit of hope I had for the day.

I decided that it was Rainy Day’s fault.

Rainy days can really drag you down if you are not feeling your best already.

But then I remembered…another Rainy Day .

Rainy days can be fun when your mood is not in the way…

Rainy days can be romantic – when you are warm and cuddled up…..

And in Africa where I come from, Rainy Day always brings the most beautiful sunsets.

I guess it’s not Rainy Day’s fault today. Maybe it is just me.

And then there is always the promise of the pot of gold at the end of the rainbow.

Maybe there will be something good coming from this crappy day.

Something beautiful.

So, I’m wondering..how did Rainy Day treat you today ?

Image: here and auburnblue’s own.

Ilze

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