Author Archives: zefiart

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About zefiart

Blogger, DIY-er, poodle lover, graphic designer, dog groomer, recycler, artist, wonder woman in my spare time.

day 25 – a day off

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And by that I mean a day where I slept in till 10am.

I no longer can sleep in till 10am. Not usually. On work days I get up at 6am and on weekends I feel the need to get up almost as early just so I can get things done.

Gone are the days of sleeping in till 2pm when I’d been out late the night before. Nowadays a late night is 10pm.

Getting old sucks. And I really needed the rest.

When I was young I’d hear about people working 2 or 3 jobs and I’d think “No thanks! One job will be enough for me when I grow up!”

And here I am now… 2 jobs and countless hobbies which keep me busy all the time.

No wonder I’m tired.

I had planned to go to the Royal Hobart Show today to help with poodles, but I was just feeling too average to go. Average sounds so much better than ‘icky’ and really, it implies that the rest of time you feel fabulous!

So, I slept in. Had brunch instead of breakfast… then pottered on down to the casita where I played with paint for a while.

Ahhh. That’s the life.

And its been raining all day so its been the kind of day where you just want to take it easy and listen to the raindrops on the roof.

Meanwhile at least a few things in my garden are growing. Here is the clematis. I planted 3 things on that trellis, this is the only one that survived.

Here are my prize flowers. I just love them! Granny’s bonnets or aquilegia.

 My purple daisies.

And my gorgeous baby snowball bush (vibirnum). Billy’s bush.

I’m not going to bother with what I did and didn’t cross off the list today cause, basically, I didn’t cross anything off!

Rest wasn’t on the list.

z

day 24 – its shameful

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I wish I could say this was the home of a hoarder I happened to know.

Alas, its my office.

What happened was I had to pile stuff when I decided to re-make Wayne’s office space in the living room. I had to take a desk and bookcase out… so I had to put things somewhere and the floor seemed as good a place as any.

There’s an ottoman you can barely see buried under the piles of stuff, its meant to be a visitor’s seat in the office. It basically holds the fabric up otherwise Barney will lie all over it and then I’ll have curtains covered in dog hair.

The other stuff… well, some of its projects in almost-progress. Some of it is wishful projects. The rest is stuff I need to sort through and find a place for.

As I said, I got rid of a desk and bookcase from in here so now I’m down some storage.

And stackable surfaces…

I have, however, organised a new, improved lot of storage… I’ve bought an old kitchen dresser (a cupboard) from a friend who’s moving. Its gorgeous. I have another similar to it in the living room. I need to make room for it in the office (by pushing aside piles of stuff) and then I’ll be able to sort and stash.

Meanwhile, the problem is I haven’t told Wayne about it. He’ll flip his lid. Another piece of furniture.

Maybe I can sneak it in without him noticing… hm… He doesn’t come into the office that often… maybe he won’t see if for a few weeks and by then I can say “What? That old thing? I’ve had that for ages!”

What I did today:
I had a LONG day at work, ending with a meeting after work.
Bought chicken for the dogs and spent what seemed like hours up to my elbows in raw chicken frames, bagging them up into one day meals to freeze.
Went to a work Trivia Night. We came second. Always come second…
I downloaded and installed Google Chrome cause I was sick of the problems with Firefox.
I moved my desk in a fit of rage when the internet and FF kept playing up, so I basically just added to the mess in the office.

What I didn’t do:
Cross much off my list. Seems I added more just to cross it off and that doesn’t count.

z

day 23 – i see dead things

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Got home after work, the dentist, whatever, and took the dogs out for a run in the paddock while we fed the horses. Again, great poodles! Went right past all the chooks and ducks and didn’t blink, even when a duck fluttered.
The poodles had been running back and forth along the fenceline, sniffing everything, peeing on everything and even, thank you Montana, rubbing in things. 
Mischa went out and came back with a mouthfull of something crunchy.
A dead wallaby.
What was left of a dead wallaby.
Yeech.
I had to pick it up (don’t ask) and throw it far, far away.
Well, about 2 feet away… as far as I could throw a crunchy, imminently breakable thing which was threatening to fall apart as I held it as gingerly as possible.
Then, we come into the yard and I find a dead baby blackbird on the grass behind the house. (Yes, we have blackbirds nesting in the roof… sigh).
I picked it up, it was big but just starting to get fuzz, no feathers.
I gave it a ‘long grass burial (ie I threw it into the long grass on the other side of the fence) and then found another three!
Wayne said we only need 20 more to make a pie.
Hmph.
Thing is, they weren’t tiny babies. Why weren’t they safe in their nest? Did their mother throw them out? Did someone else? One things for sure, they didn’t jump. They were pushed!
What I did today:
Visited the dentist. Again. Bought chaff. Forgot to buy dishwashing liquid from the supermarket. Re-arranged the office so I could get a better reception on the internet.
What I didn’t do:
Finish re-arranging the office. Have dinner.
Better go do that now.
z

day 22 – rust a la pinterest

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About a week ago I decided to try out a pin from Pinterest which claimed it would rust anything.
It said to place some white vinegar in a jar, add about a teaspoon of salt and leave overnight.
Well I left it overnight. Nothing happened. The bits and pieces were still silver.
I left it for about 4 days.
I even added more salt.
Then I poured out the water thinking “so much for that:” and left the bits outside in a dish.
That’s when they rusted!
Excellent. Now I can use them on a project or five.
Meanwhile…
What I did today:
Finished the website work. Now if my connection would stop playing up I could upload it.
Took Barney to the vet. Learned that the 2 lumps he has are just fatty lumps (and the vet didn’t mean me and Wayne) but that he needs to lose weight. Him and us both.
Collected a parcel from the PO which contains the burlap I bought for the market stall in December.
Two loads of washing. 
Put the new ironing board cover on the ironing board.
Arranged to buy a gorgeous old dresser I don’t need or really have room for.
Crossed 2 things off my list. Not the BIG LIST, just the weekend list…
What I didn’t do:
Dishes.
Iron anything.
Pay bills. Yet.
Figured out how to get the dresser into the house without Wayne noticing.
z

day 21 – insulators

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I collect insulators.
I didn’t used to collect insulators.
What happened was, I went into a tip shop one day and saw the two larger white ones. I hadn’t seen that type before, so I grabbed them… thinking I could do something with them of course.
I had tons of the small white ones – from the electric fence I’d put up in Fentonbury.
Then my friend Diane told me about her insulator collection and showed me photos of some really amazing ones… Who knew insulators were collectable?
So, when I saw those blue ones in a shop recently I had to have them. Firstly cause they’re a nice colour and secondly cause now I have a real collection.
They say having 3 of something makes it a collection. If that’s so, then six is way up there.
For now these guys are sitting on top of the hot water cylinder on our porch but one day I’ll find a better spot for them. When I do I might give them a clean as well…
Anyhow, just thought I’d share my newest collection.

What I did today:
The dishes. Some washing, some hanging out of washing, some bringing in of washing when it rained. Brought up some firewood to light the fire cause it was cold. Groomed dogs. Discovered that my customer database had corrupted and, since I didn’t have a backup, started it all over again. Did the grocery shopping. Made a salad. Entertained visitors. Spent quality time with Ben while the poodles rampaged in the top paddock.

What I didn’t do today:
Work on the website. Pay bills. Work on any suncatchers or chimes. Crossed anything off the list.
Better go finish that database. 
What a pain. I learned my lesson though… from now on I’ll have three copies: the one I use and two backups.
z

day 20 – relax is a four letter word

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Right about now you’re thinking “either she’s dyslexic or she can’t count”.
I’m neither. Sure, I’m not exactly great with numbers, but I’m not that bad. I can add up to 10.
All I’m saying is that sometimes it feels like ‘relax’ is a four letter word around here. To me anyway.
I’m always doing something, planning to do something, talking about doing something, thinking about doing something or watching TV.
What people (no names being mentioned here, but it starts with ‘W’ and ends in ‘ayne’) keep saying “Take some time off to just sit back and relax.”
What he doesn’t get is that I can’t. I can relax and read. I can relax and watch TV as long as I can fast forward through the ads or read a book while they’re on. I can relax and watch TV and bend wire and bead for suncatchers, or sew dog bandanas. Or using these flattened spoons and forks to make windchimes…
But I find it really really hard to just sit and relax.
I will, on occasion, go sit outside with Wayne and sit, surrounded by the horses and dogs and chat. That’s relaxing.
Doing creative things is relaxing. Like painting (a portrait or the walls), or making stuff. That is what I enjoy, so its relaxing to me.
I love grooming dogs, but its work, often hard work. I think I dislocated my thumb today stopping one anxious little boy from jumping off the grooming table. But when the dogs were all done for the day I made myself a frappe and took a beer out to Wayne who was working in the top paddock.
I took the poodles, Wayne had Barney and Mischa with him, and we talked and walked around and enjoyed the sun, which had decided to make an appearance about then.
I’m so proud of the poodles. Even Wayne commented on it today. For dogs who had never been around horses or chickens before we moved here, they’re doing so well (though we did have a steep learning curve during which we lost 4 chickens and 3 ducks). When I took them out into the paddock, they ran around, playing chase and kicking up their heels. The chickens and ducks were out, but they totally ignored them. 
Its funny to watch them around the horses though. They’ll be trotting along, spot a horse and quickly change direction. And Dancer… She’s a real mischievous little thing. She loves chasing the dogs. She’ll be pretending to munch on grass and she’ll suddenly take off, scattering poodles before her. 
This afternoon Mischa tried a new tactic. No way can Mischa outrun a horse – so instead she played dead. She just plonked herself on the ground and lay there. 
Dancer didn’t know what to make of it. She was totally stumped. She stood and sniffed Mischa a while, then lost interest. If it don’t run, it ain’t no fun.
Mischa looked up, saw Dancer look away, and skulked off quietly….
Anyway, back to the matter at hand…
What I did today:
Made french toast with bacon, banana and maple syrup for breakfast. Groomed dogs. Shared a few precious moments with my partner and our animals on our land.
Soon we’ll be going out for dinner with friends.
What I didn’t do:
Banking. Bills. Website work. Dishes. The bed. Anything else on my list.
Guess I better go do some of that now.
z

day 19 – shabby bustier

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It all started out as an innocent browse through a tip shop.

Then this thing kind of leapt out at me.

A wire bustier thing. Gorgeous. I think its made to hang earrings on… Whatever. It was pretty.

Even prettier when I finished with it!

Now its not just an earring holder. It’s a work of art all on its own. It could hold its own in Marie Antoinette’s boudoir.

Yep. Another thing ticked off the list. Way to go!

What I did today:
I bought a new ironing board cover. I bought a couple of new paintbrushes. I had coffee with friends. I pooperscooped. I weeded. I pulled out a plant I didn’t want and planted some sage in its place. I watered the potted plants. Next I’ll have a shower cause weeding makes me itchy all over, then I’m making bruschetta for dinner. Yum.

What I didn’t do:
Buy chicken for the dogs. Buy black paint. Pay bills.

Tomorrow is another day.

z

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Beyond The Picket Fence

day 18 – suncatchers

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Last night I ended up doing a little more than I expected. I stayed up till way past my bedtime and made two suncatchers. With another two to finish tonight, I’ve made 4 for the lady who ordered them. I figure if I can finish 2-3 more before I see her, she’ll have more to choose from.
These two are made using Wayne’s wire creations. The one above is delicate and pretty, a flower with clear and pinkish crystals. It’d look great hanging in a window.

The one below is centered around a flattened antique spoon which Wayne has added wire embelishments to. This one is about 12in long all together.
The other ones I’m working on are recycled and re-purposed items. Stay tuned.

What I did today:
I finally cleaned up the mess on the guest bed. When I removed the linen closet from the living room I ended up with a huge amount of doonas, sheets and blankets that needed a new home. This is a small house with small rooms and a huge living room. I only have one wardrobe in the guest room and its really small… I’m cutting down on the amount of doonas I have and will get some vacuum bags for underbed storage for what I keep.
In short: one thing ticked off the list – clean up the guest room and sort the bedding.
Actually, that’s two ticks. Yippee!
I also brought the ironing board in from the shed (we don’t iron in this house – its against our religion). That’s one tick off the sub-list in my make cushions and curtains from old flour sacks project.
Of course, before I can do anything I need to buy a new cover for it. The one on it is pretty disgusting… Its not handled the shed very well and I think mice might have been using the top of it as a lover’s lookout…
Yeech.
So one thing crossed off the list, one more added to it.

What I didn’t do:
Go back to the tip shop to pick up a couple of things I saw yesterday which I’m thinking I might need want.
Then again… I’m rethinking it now. Maybe I don’t want need them after all.
z

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day 17 – more junk

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What I did today:
Bought food for the dogs. Bought chaff and pellets for the horses. Went to the tip shop and scored a few things. Went to work, but that doesn’t count on the blog. That’s my ‘other life’.

What I didn’t do:
The night is young. I have plenty of time to not do a ton of stuff on my list.

Till then, here are a few photos of my scores… The hessian sacks I got at an antique shop last week. The other bits and pieces are new.

 

Interesting, no?

I really need to do something about my addiction to junk.

z

day 16 – over the hump

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It was another beautiful day today. We’ve had a few good ones lately… the kind when I feel I have the best job in the world.
What other jobs let you take long walks in beautiful weather?
From Anzac Park in Lindisfarne, a view of the Tasman Bridge.
The yacht club in Lindisfarne.
I took a client out for a long walk today and enjoyed the views, met some nice animals, and just had a nice time.
Like this young magpie.
And this gorgeous bush. I have no idea what it is, and most of the year it looks totally unimpressive. Then in early spring it blooms to a cloud of brilliant purple.
On the to do list? 
I washed dishes. Cooked dinner. Folded washing. Pooper-scooped the yard.
What I didn’t do?
Anything else. I was just too tired.
z