Stuff

I read a news article about a month ago and I bookmarked it as I wanted to write a post about it.... Then I forgot lol It's a good thing I bookmarked it. Then this morning I was reading the news and there was a new article that reminded me of the previous article, and since I have some free time I thought I would write about both articles now. They're about stuff. Yep, stuff. All the stuff we buy because we think we need it, are told we need it, it's advertised to make our lives easier or some just acquire stuff because they're keeping up with the Joneses - so to speak.

The older article (If we downsize and de-clutter our lives can we get more out of life?) discusses the amount of stuff we have and the stress it can cause, the minimalist movement, the growing size of Australian homes although family sizes are shrinking - I wrote about this in another post and Red Balloon - I was going to write a separate post about Red Balloon, but I will touch on it in this post.

The second article (Blender wars: Why sellers of stuff are stuffed) is about two companies (JB Hi-Fi and Dick Smith) entering the small appliance market. These two companies at present primarily sell electronics and associated gadgets. The reason they're expanding into the small appliance market is because you can buy a toaster for less than a loaf of bread, a blender for less than a smoothie and a vacuum cleaner for less than the cost of hiring a cleaner. This is due to most of the products being manufactured in China, thus reducing the cost. As they're now cheaper we no longer want them as they don't show a personal status of wealth. The article states that the less we want stuff, the more it's discounted.

A Google image - Not my kitchen lol

Personally, I used to be a huge buyer of stuff. In fact the pantry is full of kitchen electrical stuff that I rarely use, however when I do use them, they do cut down preparation time. Could I throw them all out and live without them? Yes I could. Will I? Probably not as they do come in handy. It's the same in my garage - I have a range of power tools that I rarely use, however they're there for when I do use them and although they take up a lot of room they're effective time wise.

About 2-3 years ago my wife and I decided for birthdays and Christmas to only buy each other limited stuff that we would use. We were notorious for buying each other huge amounts of stuff, it got out of hand! So now we buy a couple of trinkets and the rest of the present is in the form of an outing or an event such as concert tickets etc.

These days the only physical stuff I mainly buy is things like pet toys which get demolished, components for my ceramics like glazes which get used to create pieces for me to sell (more on this in a future post) and scented candles and essential oils for my oil burner as I like the fresh scent. Any music I buy is a digital download as my CD shelf is full or I use Guvera a music streaming service. Any books I buy go on my Kindle as my bookshelves are full! Seriously full and that's after 2-3 clean outs! I will on the odd occasion buy a physical book, however it's usually a cookbook as I find it easier than using my Kindle for when I'm cooking. 

There's one book I purchased a physical copy of recently and that's only because this book has a lot of activities in it, it's one of those books where you find yourself reading up to a certain section then flipping back to another section that you have already read. I'm no where near finished this book and I can honestly say from what I have read to date, this is one of my favourite books! It's written by Naomi Simson, an Australian entrepreneur who started the company Red Balloon. This company sells experiences, rather than stuff. My wife an I have purchased a number of these experiences for ourselves and as gifts. Naomi started this company with the belief that people find more enjoyment from doing, giving and receiving experiences, rather accumulating stuff. She was right! Like everyone else, she worked a regular job - however felt she wasn't doing what made her happy. So she sunk all her savings into building a website so that she could sell happiness.  

Back to the book, now don't let the title or the blurb on the back fool you into believing that this book is about how to make a million dollars overnight. It's not one of those 'self help, guru, lifestyle coaching' themed books. In a nutshell this book questions you about every aspect of your life. The activities really make you sit back and think about who you are, what you want, what you've achieved, what you want to achieve. It applies to everyone! It doesn't matter if you want to achieve millionaire status, figure out how to climb the ladder where you currently work, run your own small business or most importantly just figure out who you really are. 

I think to some degree we all 'believe' we know who we are. This book really makes you question whether you do or not. The activities are quite insightful, some are easy, but some really make you think. When you have to really think about a question that asks you about yourself, that's a good indication that you don't know yourself as well you first thought you did. So if you're in business, are employed or just want greater insight into yourself, you need this book! 

Now I know this is a bit of a jumbled post lol but the first two news articles were related and one mentioned Red Balloon and Naomi Simson - all topics I was wanting to write about, so that's why it might seem a bit disjointed, but in my mind they're linked lol So I guess in conclusion I want you to look at how much stuff you have, how often you have a clean out and I mean a proper clean out. Maybe give experiences as gifts instead of stuff, memories are built on what we do, not what we have.        

A Quiet Week

I haven't really got much to write about today, I've been a little under the weather this week, so I've spent some time in front of the TV. You wouldn't believe it, naturally when you're having a TV day along comes a thunderstorm followed by a blackout! There goes the TV day lol

I wasn't up to cross stitching, but I felt like doing something other than just hanging out on the lounge. I remembered that last year I started a latch hook kit, so I went and dug it out, it was something to do that I didn't have to think too hard about lol.

It's called Merry Men, I've not quite hit the halfway mark - I did from about the tops of their mouths up. It's supposed to be a rug once it's finished - but with three dogs running around the house, it would go from a rug to rags in no time! So I've decided that once it's done I'm going to insert a rod into the back of it and turn it into a Christmas wall hanging.... It will be much safer up on the walls than the floor!!

This is what it's supposed to look like when it's finished. They don't actually make this kit anymore and when I wanted it, it took me a long time to track one down.

I did attempt to do something else this week, however it didn't go according to plan. I purchased a day cage for Tango. His normal cage is huge and doesn't fit through a regular size door. When his cage was delivered we actually had to bring it around into the backyard and wheel it through the sliding doors. So I purchased the cage above so that I could take him outside into the sunshine and into the garage with me when I paint my ceramics.

Tango teasing dopey Bob - Yes this is Bob's normal facial expression lol

Because our house is open plan, Tango can see us pretty much all of the time. This is fine, because if he can see us he's happy. However - when he can't see us, for example when you need to go to the loo - He screams blue murder!!! When I say scream, the dogs flinch and you think that at any moment your eardrums will pop and bleed! So given that he needs to see at least one of us to remain happy, I purchased this new cage. 

You see my wife works night shift, so when she's sleeping during the day I can't paint my ceramics because Tango can't see me and when he can't see me he starts screaming like he's trying to wake the dead! So this smaller cage that will fit through doorways is ideal for short periods of time. This way I will be able to transfer him from one cage to another, take him with me into the garage, he'll be able to see me and he'll be happy and quiet. Anyway, back to what didn't go according to plan! The cage was flat packed, so I opened the boxes and checked all the parts against the instructions and two wheels were missing - Just my luck. I rang the pet store, thankfully they remembered me and are going to order two replacement wheels. Tango will have to wait another week before going outside!

I also purchased some more bits for him online and they arrived as I was writing this post. Bird toys are quite expensive and they don't last long at all! I think I spend more money on toys for one bird, than for toys for three dogs! When you own an Eclectus you need to understand that they're highly intelligent birds and need a lot of stimulation, both mental and physical. They're not the kinds of birds that you can just stick in a cage with a mirror and a bell. His toys get rotated (The ones he doesn't destroy), he gets toys that he can chew, some make sounds, some he can shred etc. A bored Eclectus is not a happy bird and when he's not happy, he'll let the world know about it!

A Bit Of Painting

It's been a while since I've been able to do any work on my ceramics. However I had a day last week and I was able to work on two pieces. Excuse the bad photos lol I didn't take them for this post, I take photos of my work as I go so I can later document the colours I've used or mixed, in the event that I want to recreate a colour, style or method. All of these pieces have only been underglazed, once they've been clear glazed and fired the colours will be really bright and pop!

                 

This is a strawberry themed oil burner that I started previously, but ran out of time and was unable to get finished. Because of the dullness of underglazes, you can't really tell that the background colour is yellow. I've since finished it and it just needs to be clear glazed and fired.

            

After finishing the oil burner I started on a mug that's in the theme of The Mexican Day Of The Dead or Dia de Muertos. I have only just started this piece and it's very rough lol so no judgments please lol Ceramics and the glazes are a weird medium to work with..... The colours are very deceiving and because the pieces are often painted in a layering style, in the early stages - especially if you're a beginner, you might be tempted to look at it and think 'This looks like crap! Or What on earth have I painted?!?!?'. It isn't until it all comes together after multiple firings, underglazes and glazes that it actually takes shape and starts to resemble what you have in your minds eye. Understanding the way they work, getting used to the process just takes time, trial and yes... Error! lol

So with this mug, I have painted a bold red heart on the opposite side to the handle and on either side of the mug is a sugar skull. I've only partially painted their faces, the outline that you can see is just lead pencil to assist me with keeping them roughly the same size. Thankfully the lead pencil burns off during the firing process lol Some pieces can get quite messy with all the scribble lol As you can see there's quite a few scribble and doodle lines on this mug, some will be painted on, some will be ignored and left to fire off. I just draw on the piece as ideas come to me, some ideas get trumped by others lol

This Dia de Muertos mug will also have have product called French Dimensions by Duncan Ceramics applied. It's basically an underglaze that works the same way puffy paints do. I'll use them to create bright swirls of colour and accents. When the mug is being fired the French Dimensions will puff up giving a raised textural effect. I really like them, they're easy to use and give a great effect!

While on the topic of The Mexican Day Of The Dead, I'm wanting to paint a plate in a similar style. Due to plates being flat I'm wanting more symmetrical looking skulls, so I spent a good chunk of a day trying to create 'the perfectly' shaped skull template lol I've not created a template before, so I'll see how it goes lol

This is another piece I finished before the oil burner, it just needs to be clear glazed and fired. It's a goblet/cocktail style piece, again this photo wasn't taken to be inserted into a blog post! If it was I would have cleaned up my desk a bit! lol

Okkie dokie ! I'll be off! I'll catch you next time! :) 

A Couple Of Outings!

Finding time to go out between my wife's roster and my 7 day a week business is a nightmare! In fact it had been months since we actually went out - just the two of us. However we got to go out on the weekend and we went out again for lunch yesterday! My system didn't know what hit it! Two outings in almost as many days!

The view from where we were sitting. 

On the weekend we went to a local art/craft market and then instead of going to a cafe for lunch as we usually would, we got some take away wraps and drinks and had lunch in a nearby park in the sun by the water - it was so relaxing!!! I seriously could have just sat in the park, in the sun looking at the water, the birds, and the other people all day!

The view in the other direction. 

Even though there were quite a few people in the park, it wasn't noisy because the park's a decent size. I really miss being outside, either being surrounded by nature or at least being able to see it. I feel much calmer and at ease within myself when I can smell and see trees, see or hear birds, look out the windows or doors and see natural beauty rather than the neighbours fence or wall. The suburb we live in has parks, but they're really small, surrounded by houses and are purely designed for children with play equipment installed. Don't get me wrong, kids need somewhere to play, but adults need somewhere to go as well. 

Sadly the area I live in has new housing estates popping up every couple of weeks, the bulldozers roll in and rip out all the trees and McMansions are erected in no time - shiny, pretty and generic in appearance - without a tree or flower in sight. Only last week a Rosella landed on our fence, it was the first native bird I have seen since living here. 

Anyway back to our weekend outing! While we were having lunch, there was this guy doing some kind of Tai Chi nearby. Perception is a funny thing lol I found watching him holding his poses somewhat relaxing, where my wife did not lol I don't know if this is because when I lived in the City I would often see people in the parks doing this as a group and it was a normal sight for me, where you just don't see it much where we live.

My purchases.

After we had lunch in the park, watched the ducks, saw some boats and watched the Tai Chi guy, we went back to the markets and I bought a glass mosaic oil burner and essential oils. We did go to the markets before lunch and I saw it then, but I didn't buy it. It wasn't until we were having lunch that I decided that I wanted to buy it lol It looks amazing in the dark! I absolutely love it!

Yesterday we went to this cute-out-of-the-way cafe for lunch. This cafe has such an airy feel about it as it has huge doorways and windows, allowing for so much natural light and there aren't too many tables, so it doesn't have a cluttered feel. It's also situated right across from three parks and the ocean! Heaven! So instead of dining in, we got take away sandwiches and drinks and had lunch in the park overlooking the ocean. 

The stunning view from where we were sitting. 

It was such a busy little place considering how out of the way it is, but it was so peaceful sitting in the park amongst the trees, with the ocean down below and birds flying all around us. There was just this feeling of total freedom and openness. 

The sky was crystal clear like the ocean, not a cloud in sight. Some of the trees near where we were sitting were quite large, with holes and patches of moss. I love gnarly looking trees :)

Gnarly, mossy, holey trees and flowers. 

We've decided that we will have to make an extra effort to try and go out more, especially now that we're moving out of winter and into spring. Even if it's just packing a picnic lunch and going where there aren't any shops or cafes, and just having a peaceful day outdoors in nature, away from home and work. 

Coincidence?

I've never been one for coincidences, I've always believed that things happen for a reason - even if the reason doesn't seem to make sense at the time. Anyway, so last night I opened a tarot app on my tablet. It's been on my tablet pretty much since I got it and I think I've used it three times in two years. So I clicked on Card Of The Day.

       

I got The Emperor card. 

Then I decided to do a three card spread in the same app and The Emperor showed up again in the position of The Present.

I also have an App that's all about crystals, so I opened it and clicked on Crystal Of The Day.

The crystal Carnelian came up, so I clicked on it for more information.

The information section is quite long, so this is just a snippet. The information section shows all elements that a particular crystal is connected to, i.e star sign, tarot card, chakras, health or body ailments etc. Guess what?!!? The Emperor Card showed itself again! Plus my star sign Scorpio.

I decided to browse for other tarot apps, I think I was trying to 'break this Emperor pattern'..... Now there are hundreds of these apps out there! I found one that had good reviews, so I downloaded it and clicked on Card Of The Day.

Two Things are a bit freaky about this! Firstly the card that turned over was - Surprise! The Emperor Card! The second freaky thing is, that as soon as I saw the card image I realised that of all the hundreds of tarot apps, I had downloaded an app of a tarot deck that I already own a physical copy of! I didn't realise this when I downloaded it, because the name of the app is different to the physical card deck. I had actually written a post a few years back about this deck, as I found it in my bookshelf - still in its shrink wrap! Neither my wife or myself had any recollection of buying it or seeing it before!

So who is this Emperor guy and what is he trying to tell me? I used three separate apps, by three separate creators - so it's not like they 'electronically talk' to each other. The Emperor Card speaks of power, authority, stability and structure. The crystal Carnelian speaks of a time of healing, improved health, avoiding stress and seeking joy.

I totally get the crystal meaning, as I have been having a rough time in general of late. Just the other day I discussed with my wife, that I need to avoid stress and stressful situations for a while. As for The Emperor Card, I feel this is mostly in relation with my work. I am the authority/power figure and I need stability and structure in order to maintain good health and a peaceful, calm and quiet mind - which has been severely lacking over the past few weeks.

Whichever way I look at the three various app readings from last night, they've left me gobsmacked! All three showed the same card. Coincidence? I've never been a believer in it.......